She Is Love
by awriterofthings
Summary: JJ and Emily have a secret crush on each other and a case brings them closer together.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**She Is Love**

Garcia was sitting in her office with JJ as the blonde went on about Emily Prentiss. Her whole lunch break had been spent listening to the media liaison ramble on about how beautiful and smart she thought Emily was. Garcia thought JJ's crush on the agent was cute, but she desperately wanted her friend to do something about it. JJ had broken up with her boyfriend, Will a few months before her son, Henry was born upon realizing that her feelings for Emily went way beyond friendship. She didn't think it was fair to force herself to be in a relationship with Will when she was yearning for someone else.

"Why don't you just ask her out on a date?" Garcia asked.

JJ looked at Garcia as if she had said something outrageous. "Don't be crazy, Pen. She'd probably say no."

"You won't know unless you ask. What's the harm in asking?"

JJ shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. It ruins our friendship, working together becomes awkward."

"Don't get sassy with me," Garcia chided. "I'm just trying to help. Besides, you're starting to drive me crazy. Every day it's Emily this and Emily that."

"Like you with Morgan," JJ pointed out.

Garcia shook her head. "I don't go on about how sexy he looks when he drinks coffee or how nicely his hair flows when he walks."

JJ allowed a pout to form at Garcia's words. "That's because he doesn't have hair."

"Oh, you get my point," Garcia said.

"You're my best friend. You're supposed to listen to me."

"And as your best friend, I'm telling you that you need to ask Emily out. You want her. Go get her."

JJ sighed. "It's not that simple though."

"Ask her out," Garcia urged. "If she says no, then I'll tell her I dared you to do it."

"What are we five?"

"Just go do it," Garcia said.

JJ rolled her eyes as she stood up. "Fine."

Garcia's eyes widened. "Really? You're actually going to go ask her out."

JJ nodded, but then suddenly started shaking her head. "No, I can't do it. I'm starting to feel queasy just thinking about doing it."

Garcia stood up and placed her hands on either side of JJ's shoulders. "You're Jennifer Jareau. Asking someone out on a date doesn't faze you. You kick ass for a living. What's so scary about asking Emily on a date?"

JJ took a deep breath. "You're right."

"Damn right I'm right. Now get out there and make me proud." Garcia finished her pep talk and opened her office door. "I'll be watching from a few feet away."

JJ exited the office and headed to Emily's desk. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the brunette staring off in space looking bored. "Aren't you supposed to be finishing up a report for me?" she asked when she reached the desk.

Emily snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at JJ. "Sorry, I'll have it done before I go home."

"I'm just messing with you," JJ assured her. She knew Emily hated writing reports, but she almost always managed to get them in on time. "So how's your day going?"

"Pretty uneventful," Emily said. "But I guess I can't complain. It's a nice break from kicking down doors and getting shot at."

JJ laughed. "I agree. So, I was wondering something."

"What's up?" Emily leaned back in her chair. The blonde looked uneasy. "You okay?"

"Yeah," JJ said a little too quickly. "I just wanted to know where you got that top from. It looks really nice on you."

Emily smiled and looked down at her red top. "Thanks. And I honestly don't know. I got it as a Christmas present a few years back. I've worn it a few times."

"Yeah, and I always meant to say something about it." JJ gestured to her office. "I should get back to my office. I'll talk to you later."

Garcia watched as JJ went to her office and followed. She closed the woman's office door once she reached it and smiled. "Okay, so how did it go?"

"I got nervous," JJ said. "I ended up asking her where she got her shirt."

"Jay-Jay," Garcia sighed.

"I know, I know," JJ said.

"Go back out there and do it right this time."

JJ shook her head. "Anyway, I need to get back to work."

Garcia got an idea and she smiled widely. "I'll tell her for you. I'll tell her you want her artificially inseminated babies."

JJ froze in her seat and looked at Garcia with wide eyes. "Don't you dare, Penelope. I own a gun."

Garcia laughed. "Calm down. I'm messing with you… kind of. How about I just ask her if she wants to come over to your place for dinner? All three of us having dinner as friends."

JJ thought about it for a few seconds, biting her lower lip as she thought it over. "Okay, fine, but don't mention me having a crush on her."

"I won't," Garcia promised before leaving the office. She headed over to Emily who was now trying to finish her report on their most recent case. "Hey, Em. You up for dinner with me and JJ tonight?"

"Sure," Emily said. "What time?"

"Right after work," Garcia said.

Morgan overheard the conversation and looked up from the papers on his desk. "What about me?"

Garcia looked over at the man. "What about you hot stuff?"

"I like to eat." He looked over at Reid. "What about you Reid?"

"Food is good," Reid stated.

"It's a girl's night out," Garcia said. "You'll be invited next time."

"You don't like my company anymore?" Morgan feigned hurt. "Look how sad Reid looks."

Reid furrowed his brows. "I'm not sad."

Garcia lost her resolve quickly. "Fine. You and Reid can come."

Morgan grinned. "That's what I thought."

Garcia stuck her tongue out at him before heading back to her office. Her initial plan was to bailout on dinner last minute, leaving JJ alone with Emily but that was now a bust. She would come up with a plan and save it for another day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

JJ entered her house with her six-month old son in her arms. She had given Garcia her house key while she went to pick Henry up from her parents' house so that she and the others didn't have to wait outside for her. She heard talking from the living room and headed in that direction.

"Hey guys, sorry if that took awhile," JJ said.

"Not at all," Emily said. "We literally just ordered the food so it should be here in half an hour or so."

"Morgan and Emily kept arguing over whether they would order pizza or Chinese food," Garcia said. "Emily won so we're having Chinese."

"I had pizza last night so that's good," JJ smiled. "I'm going to see if I can get Henry down for the night. I'll be right back."

Garcia stood up. "I'll give you a hand." She followed JJ upstairs to Henry's room and immediately got her game face on. "Okay, here's the plan. Halfway through dinner you're going to pretend you're not feeling well. I'll escort Morgan and Reid out and Emily being Emily will want to stay until she knows you're okay. At that point, I-,"

"There is no plan." JJ switched Henry over to her other hip. "We're having dinner with friends. I just want to relax and enjoy that."

"But-,"

"No buts," JJ said. "There is to be no plotting and scheming."

Garcia huffed. "Fine. You're no fun."

Henry rested his head on JJ's shoulder and she kissed him on the top of his head. "I need to put the little man down. You behave when you get back downstairs."

Garcia only smirked as a response before she kissed her godson and headed downstairs.

JJ sat down on the rocking chair and cradled her son in her arms. She looked down at his tired face and smiled. "Do you like Emily, buddy? She's a great person, isn't she? I like her a lot. Are you okay with your mommy dating Emily?"

A small smile appeared on Henry.

"That's hypothetical of course," JJ added. "I don't even know if I stand a chance with her."

The blonde continued to ramble on about Emily until Henry drifted off to a peaceful sleep. She stood up and put her son in his crib before heading downstairs.

She could smell the food in the air as she hit the stairs and she realized how hungry she really was. She entered the kitchen and saw everyone placing their food on plates.

Emily looked over and saw JJ entering the kitchen "Hey, I made you a plate already." She handed JJ her plate of food.

"Thank you." JJ smiled and took the plate from Emily. "I'm starving."

"Where should we sit?" Reid asked.

"The living room is fine," JJ said. "I'll get you guys something to drink. You go ahead and make yourselves comfortable."

"I'll help." Garcia watched the others walk out before turning to JJ. "I just came up with a great idea," she whispered.

"I don't want to hear it." JJ retrieved glasses from the cupboard and set them down on the table.

"Oh, come on. A rigged game of spin the bottle would totally work in your favor," Garcia said.

"No one is going to want to play that." JJ retrieved soda from her fridge and began pouring them in the glasses. "I definitely don't want to."

"You really are no fun," Garcia said. "I'm trying to help you out here."

JJ picked up two of the glasses and handed them to Garcia. "Great, then take those out to them for me."

Garcia sighed as she took the drinks and went to the living room. When she returned, she had a smile on her face. "Emily's sitting on one of the couches by herself. You should sit right next to her."

"I can't," JJ said. "I won't be able to function properly that close to her."

Garcia laughed. "Oh, you got it bad."

Reid's voice drifted into the kitchen. "Hey, do you guys need help with anything?"

"No, we're coming out," JJ replied.

She picked up her plate and Emily's drink before heading out into the living room with Garcia.

She handed Emily her drink and the brunette's fingers grazed hers as she took it. JJ felt the butterflies in her stomach and felt pathetic for letting something as simple as that make her melt. As she got ready to sit down on the opposite end of the couch, Garcia quickly sat down and smiled at her.

JJ glared at her and wanted to go to the couch opposite them to sit next to Reid and Morgan, but knew it would be too obvious that she was trying to avoid sitting by Emily. She sat in the middle and began to eat her dinner.

Morgan took a sip of his drink before looking at JJ. "So, Jay-Jay, how's Will doing?"

"He's okay. He takes Henry every other weekend. Surprisingly, he doesn't hate me for breaking his heart. He just wants me to be happy."

"That's mature of him," Garcia said. "Are you dating anyone new?"

JJ wondered what Garcia was up to because the technical analyst already knew she was single. "No."

"Any prospects?" Garcia asked. "I'm sure you have lines of people just wanting to be with you."

"No one," JJ replied, throwing a glare at Garcia.

"What's your type? I can set you up with someone," Garcia said. "Brunettes, brown eyes, hardworking?"

"I'm not looking," JJ answered, casually trying to make it not look like she wanted to strangle the blonde. "With work and Henry, I'm just too busy to even entertain the idea of dating."

Emily looked over at JJ. "You should find time. Everyone needs a good balance between work and their personal life."

"If only it were that easy," Morgan said. "With the job we do, it's hard to say no to finding a killer and going on a date instead."

"You know, fifty-nine percent of people-," Reid began.

"Reid," Morgan cut him off. "This is a statistic free zone."

"Well then in other words, it's hard to keep a good balance between work and your personal life. One usually wins out over the other," Reid explained.

Garcia looked at Emily. "Are you dating anyone, Emily?"

JJ felt her heart beat faster as she waited for the brunette to respond.

"I'm not," Emily replied, causing JJ to release a breath she didn't know she was holding. "but that's only because I haven't met anyone worthwhile."

JJ reached over to the coffee table to get her drink, but realized she left it in the kitchen. "I'll be right back. I left my soda in the kitchen."

Emily placed her hand on JJ's knee to stop her from getting up. "I'll get it for you."

JJ managed to let out a thanks before her mind went into overdrive. _She touched me. God, I would love her to touch me somewhere else. No, I can't think like that. No defiling Emily with my dirty thoughts. _

"Earth to Jay-Jay," Reid looked at the blonde.

JJ snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Reid. "Yeah?"

"Are you all right?"

JJ nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got lost in thought."

Garcia smiled knowing exactly what was on JJ's mind.

* * *

Two hours later, Morgan and Reid washed the dishes and cleaned up for JJ before going home. Garcia and Emily had stayed for an extra few minutes before deciding it was time to head home.

"Thanks for coming over," JJ said more to Emily then Garcia as she walked them to the door.

"Thanks for having us," Emily said.

Henry suddenly began to cry from his room and JJ sighed. "There goes my relaxing shower."

Emily smiled at the brunette sympathetically. "I can stay and watch him while you do whatever you need to do."

JJ shook her head. "I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You didn't ask," Emily said. "I'm insisting."

Garcia smiled. "Aw, how sweet are you? I'll see you two tomorrow. Have a goodnight."

"Bye, Pen," JJ said before closing the door. "Thanks for doing this, Em."

"Not a problem," Emily said. "You look like you could use a break."

JJ headed upstairs to Henry's room with the brunette. When she entered the room, she saw him lying on his stomach trying to push himself up. "Hey there." She picked the crying baby up and placed him on her hip. "Aunty Em is going to watch you for a bit. Is that okay." Henry continued to cry and JJ handed him over to Emily. "I'm going to make him a bottle. He's probably just hungry."

After making the bottle, JJ went to go take a shower while Emily sat in the living room feeding Henry.

"Look at you," Emily smiled down at the boy. "You have your mother's beautiful eyes. Can I tell you a secret? I have a crush on your mommy. She's my best friend and I'd do anything for her, and you. You know you have me wrapped around your little finger don't you?"

Henry smiled with the nipple of the bottle still in his mouth. Emily removed it since it was done and placed it on coffee table. She put a small cloth over her shoulder and began to burp the six-month old.

JJ walked downstairs to the living room in gym shorts and a t-shirt. She smiled when she saw image before her. Emily was lying on the couch with Henry on her stomach. Both were sleeping. She turned around and headed upstairs and returned a few seconds later with her camera. She turned the flash off and took a picture before putting the camera down. She took them in for a few more seconds before picking Henry up and taking him to his room.

Not wanting to wake the peacefully sleeping brunette, JJ grabbed a blanket from her room and went downstairs to cover Emily. She knew the couch was comfortable because she had fallen asleep on it plenty of nights. After covering Emily, JJ found herself gently pushing a strand of hair behind the woman's ear. She wasn't used to seeing Emily look so peaceful. Leaning down slowly, JJ placed a small kiss on the corner of the profiler's mouth. "Goodnight, Em," she whispered before heading upstairs. She would cherish that stolen kiss knowing that it would probably be the last time her lips touched Emily.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Emily woke up the next morning, throwing her legs over the couch as she sat up to stretch. She looked at her watch and saw that she had woken up two hours earlier than she was used to. She stood up, taking the blanket with her and folded it before setting it down on the couch. She retrieved her shoes from beside the couch and was getting ready to put them on when an idea struck her. She headed upstairs to JJ's room and smiled at how cute the blonde looked as she slept. _Who am I kidding? She looks cute all the time. _Emily turned off the alarm on JJ's nightstand and left to go to Henry's room.

When she looked into the crib, she saw that the boy was awake, staring happily at the ceiling.

"Hey there."

Henry smiled at the sight of the woman and rolled over onto his stomach. He moved to the bars of the crib and used them to stand himself up.

Emily picked him up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Want to help me make the morning easy for your mommy?"

Henry stretched out his hand and took a hand full of Emily's hair. He tried to push the hair into his mouth and she laughed as she removed his hand from her hair.

"How about I get you something edible?" She asked. "We have to stay quiet so your mommy can get some extra sleep, okay?" The brunette walked downstairs and put Henry into his bouncy chair on the floor so that she could make him a bottle.

After feeding Henry, Emily took the boy a bath and got him dressed before heading back downstairs to play with him far away from JJ's bedroom.

Emily sat on the floor with Henry in her lap as she read him a book. It was the quietest thing she could find for them to do. All his toys made noise and she really didn't want to wake JJ up. "That's the end, Henry." Emily closed the book and Henry pulled it out of her hands to bring it to his mouth. Emily laughed and took it from him. She turned him around in her arms and held him up above her head so that he was looking down at her. "I think it's time to make your mommy breakfast. What do you think?"

The boy laughed and Emily headed to the kitchen to put him in his bouncy chair once again so that she could start on breakfast for JJ.

Emily used her foot to push JJ's door that was ajar open and she entered the room with Henry and JJ's breakfast. She placed the plate on the nightstand and looked down at the sleeping blonde. She reached over and lightly shook her. "Hey, Jay-Jay."

"Hm?" Came from the blonde as she kept her eyes closed.

"It's time to get up." Emily placed Henry on the bed and the boy crawled on top of his mother.

JJ smiled and opened her eyes as she felt small hands touch her face. "Hey honey." She smiled at Henry. "Look at you all dressed and smelling fresh. I didn't know you could do all that." She tickled him under his chin and he laughed. JJ looked at Emily. "Thank you for doing that. And thanks for putting him back to sleep last night."

"I don't mind at all," Emily smiled.

JJ knew that was true. Emily was great with kids and Henry was always happy to spend time with her.

"I made you breakfast." Emily stretched her hands out to Henry and he crawled back over to her. She picked him up and rested him on her hip before picking up the plate and holding it out for JJ to take.

"I could totally kiss you right now." JJ said as she sat up. She realized what she had said, but knew that Emily wouldn't know that she was serious so she stayed calm. "I haven't had time for breakfast on a weekday in a long time."

"I figured as much," Emily said. "Anyway, you enjoy your morning. I'm going to take Henry to your parents' place and head home to get ready for work."

JJ shook her head. "I can't make you do that Emily."

Emily smirked. "You're not making me. I want do this for you. I'll see you at work." The brunette looked at Henry. "Say bye to your mom."

Henry made a few noises and JJ laughed. "Be good for your grandparents, sweetheart." She looked back at Emily. "I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything," Emily said. "Your parents' place is on the way to my place. It's no trouble at all. I'll make sure to lock the bottom lock on the door when I leave."

"Thanks," JJ said. "I'll see you later."

Emily headed downstairs with Henry in tow. She grabbed the spare car seat that JJ had by the door and went to her car.

After getting Henry situated, Emily got into her car and looked at him through the rear-view mirror. "Henry I have an even bigger secret to tell you."

The boy returned her gaze in the rearview mirror.

"I'm in love with your mom."

A smile spread across Henry's face and he laughed.

"Are you laughing at me? That's okay. I would laugh at me too," she said before starting the car and pulling out of the driveway.

* * *

JJ walked into the office feeling refreshed. This was the first time in six months that she didn't have to rush to get ready. She saw that the rest of the team hadn't arrived yet, which she was used to, but she was surprised that Emily hadn't arrived at work yet. She smiled to herself as she went to sit at the brunette's desk. She set her purse down and wrote a note for Emily to read when she got in. She left it face down on the desk before heading to her office.

A half hour later, JJ was in her office going through the case files when she heard a knock on her door. "Come in."

Garcia entered the office and smiled at her friend. "Spill."

JJ kept her eyes on the file she was reading. "Spill what?"

"How was your night alone with Emily?" Garcia asked.

JJ looked up at her friend and smirked. "She spent the night."

Garcia broke out in a grin. "Ohmygod! Finally. How was it?"

"She spent the night on my couch and I slept in my room." JJ laughed as Garcia glared at her.

"That wasn't funny. I thought you finally did something about your obsession."

"I'm not obsessed," JJ said.

Garcia raised an eyebrow at the blonde.

"Okay, maybe a little," JJ admitted. "But how could I not be? She made me breakfast this morning. And that's not even the best part. She got Henry ready and took him to my parents' for me. I swear the woman is heaven sent."

"Wow, she really is a sweetheart," Garcia said. "More reason for you to make a move."

"And risk getting shot down? I don't think so."

"We already know she's gay. So there's a plus."

"I'm probably not her type," JJ said.

"I'll find out." Garcia saw JJ getting ready to protest and added quickly, "I'll be stealthy about it. I won't even mention your name. See you later. Bye."

Before JJ could get a word in Garcia had left the office. The blonde couldn't help but laugh to herself before getting back to work.

* * *

Emily sat down at her desk and furrowed her brows when she saw the piece of paper on her desk. She flipped it over and smiled.

_Hey Em,_

_Thanks a lot for this morning. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate what you did. You're a great friend. I definitely owe you. If you're not busy tonight, then you should come over. I'll make you dinner._

_Love,_

_JJ _

Emily folded the note and pushed it into the pocket of her pants.

Morgan entered the office and stopped at the brunette's desk. "What are you smiling, Princess?"

"Nothing," Emily replied with a smile still on her face.

"Uh huh, sure." Morgan grinned. "That's all right. You don't have to tell me."

"She doesn't have to tell you what?" Rossi said from behind Morgan.

"Why she's all smiley faced," Morgan replied.

"Am I not allowed to smile?" Emily asked.

Morgan held his hands up in surrender and went to his desk. Rossi laughed as he shook his head before going to his own office.

Emily's phone began to buzz in her pocket and she pulled it out to look at it. It was a text message from Garcia telling her to come to her office. She got up from her desk and went to see what the tech analyst wanted.

Garcia turned around in her chair when she heard the door open. "Hey, remember when I mentioned throwing a birthday party for JJ?"

"Yeah." Emily nodded as she closed the door.

"Well, we need to start planning," Garcia said.

"It's a week from now," Emily pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. I just want to plan it while you're in the office. I never know when there's going to be-." A knock sounded on the door and Emily opened it. JJ stuck her head inside and looked at the two women.

"Hey, sorry guys. There's a case. Need you in the conference room."

"Yep, I should've seen that coming." Garcia stood up and headed to the conference room with Emily and JJ.

JJ used the remote to bring up pictures of two kids on the screen. "We have a missing children case in Florida. This is four-year old, Rebecca Roberts and three-year old, Nathan Clark. They went missing a day apart from each other. As you can see, they both have blonde hair and blue eyes. They also live with their single mothers. It's the same M.O. for both of them. The mothers went to wake their child up and they were gone. The unsub gained entrance to both homes by breaking a window."

Hotch looked up from a copy of the case to look at JJ. "Are there any suspects?"

JJ shook her head. "No suspects and no evidence left behind."

Hotch stood up. "Have your go-bags ready. We leave in ten."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Emily was concentrating on the chessboard as Reid made his move. She smiled triumphantly and moved her chess piece. "Checkmate."

Reid furrowed his eyebrows as he studied the board. "What? How? You cheated."

The profiler rolled her eyes. "How'd I cheat Reid? You've been watching me the entire time."

The young man looked at the woman. "You're an FBI agent. I'm sure you have your ways."

"Are you saying that there's no possible way I could've beat you without cheating? Do you think you're better than me?"

"Well yes, when it comes to chess." Reid looked back down at the chessboard, baffled.

JJ laughed from her seat a few chairs away, turning her head to look at Emily. "I think you've thrown him for a loop."

"I think I have." Emily stood up from her seat and went to sit across from JJ while Reid tried to figure out where he went wrong.

JJ smiled at the brunette. "You should try playing poker with him."

Emily grinned. "Maybe on the way back home. What's got you sitting over here by yourself?"

"Just thinking about Henry. This case hits close to home. Blonde, blue-eyed kids being taken from their homes. It makes me think about how easily someone can take Henry from me."

Emily leaned forward and placed her hand on top of JJ's. "Henry's safe. You have nothing to worry about. He's probably crawling around being as cute as always."

JJ smiled. "Thanks. I needed that. I know I'm being overdramatic. It's the mother in me."

Emily sat back in her chair. "Anytime."

JJ instantly missed Emily's hand on hers, but before she could dwell on it Garcia's voice could be heard from the laptop.

"Hello my lovelies," Garcia greeted. "I have some new information for you."

"We're listening," Hotch said.

"Rebecca and Nathan attended the same daycare. They also share the same father, Evan Roberts. Nathan has his mother's last name. Call me when you get to the station and I'll give you the address to both the daycare and Evan's house."

"You're a goddess, Garcia," Morgan said.

"I know it," Garcia said. "Please, can you all manage to get back home without being bruised and broken?"

"We'll try," Morgan said before Garcia hung up. "This is good. Now we have something to work with."

"Yeah, let's hope this is a case that won't take almost the whole week to solve," Reid said.

* * *

Once they had arrived at the police station, they talked to the detectives working the case before splitting up. Emily and Morgan were going to check out the daycare while JJ and Reid talked to the mothers of the kidnapped children. Hotch and Rossi were going to stay at the station while JJ and Reid found out more about Evan Roberts from his ex-girlfriends before they went to bring him in for questioning.

Emily entered the daycare with Morgan and they were greeted by a blonde woman with brown eyes. She looked to be in her late thirties.

"Hi, I'm Janice Moore," the woman smiled. "Are you Mr. and Mrs. Johnson? I thought you would have your daughter with you."

Morgan pulled out his badge. "Actually, we're from the FBI, Ms. Moore. I'm Agent Morgan and this is Agent Prentiss. Can we ask you a few questions?"

"Oh yes, of course," the woman said. "We can talk in my office."

Morgan looked at Emily. "I'm going to talk to the other women out here."

Emily nodded and followed Ms. Moore to her office. "So, how long have you been working here Ms. Moore?"

"It'll be a year in a few weeks," Janice replied. "And please call me Janice."

"Did you have a lot of contact with Rebecca Roberts and Nathan Clark?"

"Yes, they're very bright kids. I can't believe that someone could just take them like that."

Emily noticed that the woman kept touching her ring finger with her thumb, but the pale skin there told her that the ring she usually wore was missing. "Lost your ring?"

Janice looked down at her hand and realized what she was doing. "Habit," she laughed, lightly. "And yeah, I've misplaced it. I've been looking everywhere."

Emily asked the woman a few more questions before finishing up. "Thanks for your time. I hope you're able to find your ring."

Janice smiled. "Thank you, Agent Prentiss. Me too."

Emily left the office and found Morgan finishing up with his questioning as well. Once they reached outside she let out a sigh. "I didn't get anywhere. What about you?"

"They always got dropped off or picked up by their mothers," Morgan replied. On occasion Rebecca would be picked up by her grandparents. They don't even know of an Evan Roberts."

"He wasn't even listed as an emergency contact for either child," Emily stated. "Deadbeat dad, perhaps."

"I'm thinking so," Morgan agreed. "I'll call Hotch to tell him what we know."

* * *

JJ was sitting in the living room with Ms. Clark as they asked her about her son. So far they weren't getting anywhere. The night Nathan was taken, Ms. Clark was asleep and hadn't heard anything.

"Is Nathan's father around much?" JJ asked.

Ms. Clark wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face. "No, and I'm fine with that. Evan isn't father material anyway. He pays his child support and stays out of my way."

"Did you know that Evan has another child? A daughter."

"No, but it doesn't surprise me. After four months with him, I caught him cheating on me. I honestly don't even know why I was with him. I guess I got lost in those blue eyes of his. Much like I am with yours." Ms. Clark added, genuinely with no hint of flirtation. "I guess I'm a sucker for them." The woman let out a sigh as she looked at JJ. "You'll find Nathan, right?" the woman's voice quavered. "He's all I have."

"We'll do our best," JJ promised.

Reid looked at the woman. "Are you dating anyone?"

Ms. Clark shook her head. "I'm focusing on my career. I haven't dated anyone since Evan."

"How about a male friend?" Reid asked.

"No. There's no one. I'm sorry. I know I'm not being any help." The woman cried.

"Just curious, but why doesn't your son have Evan's last name?" Reid asked.

"I don't want anything to do with Evan," Ms. Clark replied. "If he's going to be a deadbeat dad, then he doesn't have the right to share a last name with my son."

After a few more questions, JJ and Reid left the house so they could interview the other woman.

Reid looked at JJ as they sat in the SUV. "Did she hit on you?"

JJ laughed. "What? No. She's going through a crisis right now. Flirting with me wasn't her intention. She was just babbling."

"Okay," Reid said. "I was just asking."

* * *

JJ and Reid were again, sitting in a living room as they talked to Ms. Stone about her daughter's disappearance. They weren't learning anything new. Ms. Stone hadn't heard anything the night her daughter was taken and neither had her niece who she had been babysitting that night. They were both asleep.

"Are you close with Evan Roberts?" JJ asked.

"Not at all," Ms. Stone replied. "We were off and on for a year. More off than on. When I got pregnant he insisted it wasn't his. I don't know what I saw in him." The woman suddenly became wide-eyed. "Do you think he took her?"

"We're not sure," JJ replied. "We just have to cover all our bases."

"You don't think… you don't think she's dead do you?" Ms. Clark stuttered out. "Her birthday is in three days. I want to be able to celebrate my daughter's birthday with her."

"We'll do our best to make that happen," JJ assured her.

* * *

Evan Roberts sat in the interrogation room looking irritated. When Hotch and Rossi entered the room, he stood up to face him.

"Why am I here?"

"Have a seat Mr. Roberts. We just want to ask you a few questions," Hotch said.

The man sat down. "I didn't take those kids."

"Those kids? Your kids you mean." Hotch sat down across from the man.

"Whatever. I didn't take them. I haven't seen them in months."

"Do you like paying child support Mr. Roberts?" Rossi asked.

"Of course not," the man replied. "Who does? But I'll happily pay if those women stay away from me."

"Where were you the night Rebecca and Nathan were taken?" Hotch asked.

"I didn't take them," the man said.

"Answer the question," Hotch said.

Mr. Roberts thought back and shrugged. "I don't know when they were taken."

"The tenth and eleventh of this month." Hotch couldn't believe how much this man didn't care that his kids had been kidnapped.

"Ah, the tenth. I spent the night in jail for a DUI and then the next day I spent the night with my brother."

Hotch stood up from his chair and left the room with Rossi. "I was thinking not paying child support was an incentive for him to kill his children, but I don't think he did anything. Especially if his alibi pans out."

"Back to scratch?" Rossi asked.

"Looks like it."

* * *

Later that night Emily was sitting in her room reading a book when someone knocked on the door. She placed her bookmark between the pages before setting it down on the nightstand. She got up and answered the door, smiling when she saw JJ. "Hey, what brings you over here?"

"I need a mental break," JJ said.

Emily stepped aside to let the woman in. "What's wrong?"

JJ entered the room and turned to face Emily. "This case. Sorry if I'm being a bother."

Emily smiled sweetly at JJ. "Jennifer, you're never a bother."

JJ smiled at the profiler's use of her full name.

"Come on. Let's sit," Emily said.

JJ kicked off her shoes and joined Emily on the bed. "How could anyone hurt a child? They're so innocent and carefree. I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to Henry. I wish there was more I could do for these mothers."

Emily put her arm around JJ's shoulders and pulled her closer. "You're doing all you can. We'll find them."

JJ sighed. "Dead or alive? This job can be so emotionally draining."

"It definitely can be. That's why I have this." Emily got up and retrieved her portable DVD player from her go-bag as well as a movie. "Up for a funny movie?"

The media liaison was happy with the idea of being able to spend some down time with the brunette. "With you? Of course."

Emily situated herself on the bed with the DVD player. "Oh, I heard you were flirted with."

JJ rolled her eyes. "It wasn't like that at all."

"Hey, I'm just going by what Reid said."

"And why would you do that?" JJ smiled. "Reid wouldn't know what flirting was if it jumped up and bit him in the ass."

The profiler laughed. "Okay, that's true."

Emily started the movie and the two agents spent the night enjoying each other's company.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Emily and JJ were driving together to the police station when JJ's phone began to ring. "Agent Jareau."

"Another girl, Lisa Desmond was taken just minutes ago from a laundry mat," Hotch said. "Someone already called in saying they saw a suspicious man pull out of the parking lot in a hurry. White male, middle-aged, has brown hair and a goatee. He was driving a white Honda. They didn't see the girl, but he's still our best bet right now. Keep an eye out."

"Yes, sir." JJ closed the phone and looked at Emily. "A six-year old girl, Lisa Desmond was taken from a laundry mat a few minutes ago. We're looking for a white, brunette male with a goatee driving a Honda."

A car zoomed past them and Emily quickly did an illegal U-turn to follow him. "Did we seriously just get this lucky?"

"I don't know, but it's worth a shot," JJ said.

Emily turned her sirens on and began to pursue the car. The man pulled off the road, which surprised both the agents. They were expecting a full speed chase. They got out of the SUV and pulled their guns out before slowly approaching the car.

JJ looked in the backseat and shook her head at Emily, letting her know that there was no girl.

The man rolled his window down when he saw Emily standing there. "Hi, officer. Is something wrong?"

Emily pointed her gun at the man and could see that he was nervous. He was visibly shaking. "Put your hands where I can see them and get out of the car."

The man shook his head. "Wh-why do I need to get out of the car," he stuttered.

"Do as I say," Emily ordered.

"I can sh-show you my license and registration." The man leaned over to his glove compartment.

"Do not move!" Emily yelled. "Get out of the car."

"Please don't, don't shoot," the man begged.

"Don't give me a reason to," Emily said. "Get out of the car."

The man slowly opened the car door and stepped out with his hands up. Emily turned him around and put her gun away so she could handcuff him.

JJ put her gun away once the man was in cuffs and went to the trunk. When she popped it open, she saw the little girl lying there unconscious. "I found her," she said to Emily before reaching in to check the blonde's pulse. "She's alive." JJ quickly called an ambulance and then Hotch before carefully picking the girl up.

Emily turned the man around to face her. "Where are the others?"

The man shook his head frantically. "I-I-I didn't take anyone else. I swear. I heard about it on the news."

"Heard about what on the news?" Emily asked.

"The, the man taking the kids with blonde hair and blue eyes. I… I just thought that I could…"

"You thought you could kidnap that innocent little girl and have it get blamed on someone else," Emily finished for him. She looked at JJ with disappoint written on her face. She was glad that they could get this scum off the streets but they still weren't anywhere close to finding their unsub.

* * *

After turning the man over to the police who had shown up at the scene, Emily and JJ made their way to the police station. Upon entering the station, claps could be heard all around.

JJ smiled and shook her head. "Guys that's really not necessary. We still haven't found our unsub."

"But you guys did find that little girl and put away her kidnapper in a record breaking time," an officer nearby stated. "You did a good job."

Hotch approached them. "He's right."

"We got lucky," Emily said. "Right place at the right time is all."

An officer approached them with Ms. Stone and a girl about nine by his side. "Ms. Stone has something that may help our case."

Hotch looked at the woman. "What is it?"

"Carmen," Ms. Stone looked at her niece. "Tell the agent what you found."

Carmen held up a ring. "I found it outside. Am I gonna go to jail?"

Hotch knelt down to talk to the girl. "No, you're not going to go to jail. Was Rebecca already gone when you found this ring?"

The girl nodded. "I found it the morning before the police came. I thought it was pretty. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. May I have it?" Hotch held out his hand and the girl placed the ring in his palm.

Hotch thanked the woman for coming in and the officer showed her out.

Emily looked at the ring in Hotch's hand and thought back to Janice Moore. The woman had been missing her ring.

JJ noticed the look on Emily's face. It's the look she got when she figured something out. "Emily, what is it?"

"I think I know who our unsub is." The profiler quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket and speed dialed Garcia.

"Penelope Garcia's house of "How May I Save Your Ass Today?"

"Garcia, I need you to do a search on Janice Moore and tell me what comes up."

"Hm, Janice Moore… two of her kids, Jason and Natalie died in a car accident a year ago."

"How old were her kids?" Emily asked.

"Four and three."

"Can I get an address?"

"Yep." Garcia told them the address.

"Thanks Garcia," Emily said before hanging up.

"Janice Moore? The woman who works at the daycare?" Reid asked.

Emily nodded. "She was missing her wedding ring. She said she misplaced it."

"Well, I guess we know where she lost it," Morgan said.

"She may be at work," Hotch said. "Rossi, Reid, you two go to the daycare center. The rest of us will go to her home."

The team quickly filled the officers at the police station in before heading out with them to find Janice Moore and the children.

* * *

JJ signaled to Emily that she was going to walk downstairs to the basement and the brunette nodded. JJ slowly opened the door and began to make her way downstairs with Emily behind her.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw Rebecca and Nathan tied and gagged to a chair. Janice Moore was standing between the chairs with a gun pointed at JJ.

"Janice put down the gun," JJ said.

The woman shook her head with tears streaming down her face. "You will not take my kids from me!"

"Those are not your kids," JJ said. "They have mothers who miss them."

Emily was standing next to JJ with her own gun pointed back at the woman. She kept quiet, knowing JJ would be able to handle this.

"You stay away from us," Janice warned. "I won't let you take them."

"I know you miss your kids, but taking someone else's kids won't do you any good."

"What do you know?" Janice cried.

JJ lowered her gun and put it in her holster before slowly stepping closer to Janice.

"Jay-Jay," Emily said, sternly, wanting the blonde to stop approaching the woman.

"Janice, Jason and Natalie wouldn't want you to do this," JJ said.

Footsteps could be heard on the stairs and Emily signaled for whoever it was to stop their descent.

"My kids were my everything," Janice said. "I don't have anyone now. My husband left me a few months ago. I have no one. I just want my family back."

"Taking these kids won't bring your family back, Janice," JJ said. "I know what you're feeling. I have a son and if anything ever happened to him, I'd be devastated. These kids have mothers who are worried sick about them. You know what it's like to lose your children. Do you want those mothers to have to go through what you went through?"

Janice sobbed as she shook her head. "No."

"Then give me the gun, okay?" JJ took a tentative step forward.

Janice lowered the gun and JJ took it from her. Emily gestured for the team to come down as JJ handcuffed Janice.

The kids were untied and brought outside by Hotch and Emily. Emily stayed standing by her SUV waiting for JJ.

The blonde approached Emily and smiled. "Hey."

"You scared me in there Agent Jareau," the brunette said.

"Sorry," JJ said. "I was safe the entire time though."

"You were?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, I had you there didn't I?"

Emily smiled. "You did."

"See? Perfectly safe." JJ returned Emily's smile before walking off to talk to Hotch.

Emily watched the blonde walk away wondering if she had any idea how she made her feel.

* * *

That night Emily and JJ entered Emily's hotel room laughing. They had gone out for drinks with Reid and Morgan and had more than just a few shots.

"You're not tired are you?" Emily asked as she pulled off her shoes.

"I'm wide awake," JJ assured her. "What do you want to do now?"

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "We can do whatever you want. I do need to get out of these clothes though."

The brunette pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. She didn't think JJ would mind. She didn't have anything the blonde hadn't seen before.

JJ's mouth was slightly agape as she stared at Emily sifting through her go-bag for something to put on. Maybe it was because she had liquid courage, but she found herself moving towards the brunette. "Emily?"

"Hm?" Emily turned her head to look at JJ.

"Turn around," JJ said, softly.

Emily turned around and looked at JJ. "What's up?"

JJ's hand reached out and touched Emily's toned stomach. "That's nice."

Emily couldn't help but smile. "I try."

JJ looked into Emily's eyes. "You're beautiful. Do you know that?"

"Um, I." Emily wasn't sure what to say. Before she knew it was happening, she felt JJ's lips on her own. All rational thought left her head as she returned the kiss. She placed her hand on the back of JJ's neck and let her tongue run along the blonde's bottom lip.

JJ parted her lips to allow Emily's tongue access to her mouth and she let out a moan when the brunette's tongue touched hers.

A knock at the door caused them to separate. Emily quickly put back on the shirt that she had taken off. "Jay-Jay," she began.

JJ felt as if the kiss had sobered her up. "I'm sorry."

The knock came again and Emily went to answer it. When she opened it, she saw Morgan and Reid standing there.

"Hey ladies," Morgan said. "You two feel like a game or something? We're not tired yet."

JJ walked towards the door. "I'm actually not feeling well. I'm gonna get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." The media liaison left the room quickly.

Reid furrowed his brows. "Is she okay?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah, um. I'm tired too, actually. You two have fun though."

"Okay," Morgan said. "See you in the morning. Wheels up at noon."

Emily waved goodbye and closed the door. _What the hell just happened? _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

JJ was sitting in her house the next day watching Henry crawl around the floor playing with his toys. She and Emily hadn't spoken more than three words to each other since their kiss. She was worried that the brunette didn't want to talk to her anymore.

Sighing, JJ picked her phone up from beside her on the couch and called Garcia.

"Business or pleasure?" Garcia answered.

"I kissed Emily," JJ blurted out.

"That is definitely pleasure," Garcia said.

"We had a few shots and I was feeling bold." JJ relayed the story of what happened back at the hotel.

"Wow," Garcia said. "Who knows what would've happened if Derek and Spencer hadn't interrupted you."

"I know. What am I supposed to do? We haven't really spoken and she hasn't even made eye contact with me since."

"Jay-Jay this is the perfect opportunity for you to tell her how you feel."

"To what end? She doesn't feel the same way I do. If she did, then she wouldn't be avoiding me." The doorbell rang and JJ wondered who it could be. "Hey, someone's here. I'll call you back."

After hanging up from Garcia, JJ picked up Henry and headed to the front door. She peered through the window by the side of the door and was shocked to see Emily. She looked down at what she was wearing and frowned. She didn't want Emily seeing her in sweat pants and a t-shirt. _I don't have time to change. _She thought. She ran a hand through her hair and opened the door. "Hi." She noticed that Emily had changed from her suit into jeans and a nice top. She looked gorgeous. She always did.

"Hi," Emily said, nervously. She thought JJ looked ridiculously cute. She loved seeing women in their natural state. No make-up or fancy clothes. She thought it was when they were at their prettiest. JJ was no exception.

Henry leaned out of JJ's arms and stretched towards Emily.

"Hey there, little man." Emily took Henry from the media liaison and kissed him on the temple. She looked back at JJ. "Can we talk?"

JJ nodded and stepped aside to let the profiler in. She closed the door behind her and gestured towards the living room. "We can talk in there."

Emily walked into the living room and placed Henry on the floor amongst his toys before turning to face JJ. "About last night," she began.

"I'm really sorry, Emily," JJ said. "I feel like such an idiot."

"I understand. We had one too many drinks. It shouldn't have happened."

"Yeah, one too many drinks." JJ wanted to say that it wasn't a mistake, but she couldn't find the nerves to do so.

"I don't want things to be awkward between us. You're my best friend and this whole not talking thing really sucks."

"It really does," JJ agreed.

Emily smiled. "So we put this behind us and go back to normal?"

JJ hoped she wasn't going the wrong route by making a joke, but she decided it was worth a shot to get them back on normal ground. "Oh, do you think you can forget about the best kiss you've ever had?"

Emily laughed. "And who says you're the best kiss I ever had?"

JJ shrugged. "I've been told I'm a pretty amazing kisser."

"Someone has a big ego."

"That doesn't answer the question." JJ found herself really wanting to know the answer.

"I'm choosing not to dignify that question with an answer." The truth was she wouldn't forget about that kiss. She hadn't since it happened. Emily scooped Henry up from the floor and held him above her head. "Your mommy's being silly, isn't she?" Henry laughed and she placed him back on the floor. She looked at JJ and smiled. "I'm glad we're okay. I was worried. Anyway, I should get going. I just wanted to clear things up between us."

JJ was instantly disappointed. She didn't want the brunette to go. She smiled nonetheless. "Thanks for stopping by."

Emily felt something on her leg and looked down to see Henry using her leg to stand himself up. "Hey you."

Henry lost his balance and fell onto his butt, laughing.

"You're just one happy baby aren't you?" Emily smiled. She looked back to JJ. "I can see myself out. I'll call you later." She bent down and said bye to Henry before heading to the door.

As Emily opened the door, she heard Henry start to cry. She turned back around and headed to the living room. She saw JJ holding Henry with his head resting on her shoulder. "Is he okay?"

Henry lifted his head at the sound of Emily's voice and stopped crying. He again leaned out of JJ's arms and toward Emily. "I think he wants you to stay."

Emily took him and rested him on her hip. "You want me to stay, Henry?"

JJ laughed. "I'm going to start thinking he likes you more than me." She stretched her hands out to Henry and he went to her.

"Nope. I think he still likes you," Emily said.

JJ looked at her son. "Sweetheart, Emily has to go. Maybe you can see her tomorrow."

"You know, I guess I could hang around," Emily said. "If that's fine with you."

"Yeah, that's fine," JJ said. "You can go ahead and make yourself comfortable. I'm going to change Henry's diaper and make myself look more decent."

Emily shook her head. "You look fine the way you are Jennifer. You're in your own home relaxing. There really is no need to change."

JJ made a face. "But I look like a bum."

"A cute bum," Emily said, hoping JJ wouldn't take her statement the wrong way. If this had been the day before yesterday, then she wouldn't have been worried how the blonde would take it.

"Okay, fine." JJ headed upstairs with a smile on her face. When she reached Henry's room she kissed him and set him down on his changing table. "You are definitely getting a new toy very soon." She was happy that he was able to get Emily to stay. She was still feeling uneasy about the kiss they shared. Mostly because all she wanted to do was kiss Emily again, but she hoped things would really be fine between the two.

* * *

JJ had put Henry down for a nap half an hour ago and she was surprised that Emily hadn't left at that point. They were sitting in the living room having a casual conversation. It was hard for her to focus though because her eyes kept moving to Emily's lips and all she wanted to do was feel them on her own again.

The blonde's phone went off, startling her and Emily laughed. She glared at the other woman before looking at her caller ID. "Hey, Pen."

"Hey, you left me waiting long enough," Garcia said. "Have you spoken to Emily yet?"

JJ mouthed "be right back" to Emily before getting up and going to the kitchen. "Yes, she's here. We're fine."

"Fine as in you're dating now?" Garcia asked with hope.

"No. As in we're forgetting the kiss ever happened."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Garcia scoffed. "Seriously hun, you need to express to her how much you want to rip her clothes off, throw her on the nearest surface and-."

"I'm not telling her any such thing," JJ said. "Anyway, I'm fine with being friends. I've come to terms with it."

"Until she starts dating and you get jealous and want to run her girlfriend over with a car," Garcia said.

JJ furrowed her eyebrows. "Dating?" She never thought about Emily being with someone else. "I don't want her to date."

"Then make a move before someone else does," Garcia said.

JJ sighed. "You're right."

"I know I'm right. Does this mean you're going to do something about this crush now? It's driving me insane."

"I don't know, Pen. I don't know." JJ needed to think some more. The thought of someone else being with Emily made her feel physically sick. _To make a move or not to make a move? What am I going to do? _

_

* * *

_

One week later…

JJ looked at Garcia with sad eyes. It was a Saturday night and Henry was with his father. They were sitting in a coffee shop and JJ was very much unhappy. "I can't believe they all forgot my birthday. Not even Reid remembered and he knows everything. And Emily…I'm so mad at her. I thought she would remember it for sure."

Garcia reached across the table and squeezed JJ's hand. "I'm sure she just has a lot on her mind."

JJ's phone began to ring and she saw Emily's name on her caller ID. She found herself smiling and reaching to answer it, but then she remembered she was mad at the agent.

"Oh, come on, hun. Answer it," Garcia said.

"No, I'm mad at her," JJ said, sounding child-like.

Garcia's phone rang next and she picked it up and showed JJ the caller ID. "It's Emily." She put the phone to her ear and greeted the woman.

"Garcia we're all here and ready for you guys," Emily said.

"Sure," Garcia said, enthusiastically. "That sounds great. I'll let her know. See you in a few." Garcia closed her phone and looked at JJ. "Emily's bored and wants us to come over."

JJ rolled her eyes. "She's bored? You know who's bored? Me. I've spent my birthday doing nothing. No birthday cake, no friends. I'm not feeling the love."

"I'm here," Garcia smiled. "I'm your friend."

"Apparently my only one," JJ huffed.

"I offered to buy you cake."

"I don't want a pity cake." JJ folded her arms across her chest.

_Oh, she's really pissed off. _Garcia thought.

"You know what." JJ stood up. "Let's go see her. I want to give her a piece of my mind."

Garcia thought about sending a text to Emily to warn her that JJ was upset with her but decided it would be more entertaining to watch the brunette's surprise when JJ showed up at her door beyond angry.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to those who leave feedback. I appreciate it. I'll have Emily and JJ together soon enough. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Emily had received a text message from Garcia letting her know that she and JJ would be at the door in about two minutes. She told the team to hide and she was now waiting for them to arrive.

When the knock sounded on the door, she waited a beat before opening it. "Hi Garcia. Jay-Jay."

"Don't hi Jay-Jay me, Emily Prentiss." The blonde had her hands on her hips. "I can't believe you forgot today was my birthday! And then you have the nerve to call and ask me to come over to hangout with you? You're unbelievable!"

Emily looked at the irate media liaison. "How about you come in and we'll talk about it?"

JJ threw her hands up in exasperation. "That's all you have to say for yourself?"

Emily nodded. "Pretty much." The brunette moved away from the door and headed towards the living room.

The agent was seething at this point. She looked over at Garcia. "She doesn't even care that she forgot my birthday!" JJ suddenly became worried. "Do you think I did something wrong and she's upset with me?"

"Go ask her," Garcia suggested.

JJ let out a breath and followed Emily to the living room. Just as she reached the area, she heard the word "surprise" and saw everyone from the team standing in the living room. Haley and Jack were there too, which she was pleased to see. They all had birthday hats on except for Hotch but that didn't surprise her. She turned around and saw that Garcia was now also wearing one of those hats. She guessed that the tech analyst had it hidden in her purse.

"Happy birthday." Emily walked over to JJ and placed a hat on her head.

JJ punched the brunette in the shoulder. "I thought you forgot."

"First of all, never and second, ow!" Emily rubbed her shoulder.

Morgan laughed as he approached them. He put an arm around JJ's shoulders. "Happy birthday, Jay-Jay."

JJ punched him in the shoulder too.

"Hey now, woman," Morgan smiled. "Is that anyway to say thank you?"

"If I say happy birthday are you going to hit me too?" Reid asked, keeping his distance.

"Maybe," JJ replied. "You guys had me so upset. I should've known better."

"Yes, you should've," Emily said.

Jack looked up at his mom. "Is it time for cake now?"

Haley laughed. "Not quite yet, hun."

"No, it's okay," JJ said. "Bring it out. I'm sure he's been dying for it." The blonde walked over to Haley and hugged her. "It's good to see you. Thanks for coming."

JJ held a conversation with Haley while Reid and Morgan went to light the candles on the cake. After less than a minute, they returned with it. It didn't have an outrageous amount of candles on it. Instead there was a candle in the shape of a two and a nine.

Everyone began to sing 'happy birthday' and JJ stood there smiling as she looked around at everyone. She hoped Garcia would manage to get a picture of Hotch in a birthday hat. That would definitely make her night.

After blowing out the candles, the cake was cut and everyone was handed a slice. Shortly after that, JJ found herself alternating between watching Emily play a game of poker with Reid and Rossi and carrying on her conversation with Haley, Hotch, and Morgan.

The blonde smiled when she saw Emily raise her arms above her head in victory.

"Sorry boys." Emily grinned as she stood up with a hundred dollars in her hand.

JJ excused herself from the conversation she was having and made her way towards Emily. "And you've left Reid baffled once again."

Emily laughed. "That's what he gets for underestimating me. Can you join me upstairs for a minute?"

"Sure." JJ followed the brunette upstairs to her bedroom and her mind went to the gutter. _Alone with Emily in her bedroom. This is definitely a good thing. _

"I wanted to give you your presents alone." Emily went to her closet to retrieve JJ's birthday presents.

"Presents?" JJ furrowed her brows. "Plural?"

"Yep." Emily placed the neatly wrapped boxes on the bed and picked up one of them. "I wasn't sure what to get you so I just got multiple things."

JJ took the box Emily handed to her and began to open it. She smiled when she saw a little statue of a blue butterfly.

"I know you used to collect butterflies. I wasn't sure if you still did, but I saw this and I thought of you."

"It's beautiful, Emily. Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it." Emily took the statue from the woman and set it down on the bed. She picked up another box and handed it to her.

JJ removed the wrapping paper and opened the white box to find the exact same shirt that had been ruined on a case a few weeks ago.

"I remember you saying that it was your favorite shirt and you were upset when you couldn't find it again so I did some searching and eventually found it."

The media liaison couldn't believe Emily had remembered the shirt. "This is very thoughtful of you. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Emily was pleased that JJ liked her gifts so far. "There's one more."

"Emily you really didn't have to get me more than one gift," JJ said.

Emily ignored the blonde taking the shirt from her and placing it on the bed before handing JJ her last present.

JJ took the small rectangular shaped box and removed the wrapping paper from it to reveal a black box. She looked up at Emily with wide eyes. "Emily."

"Open it," the profiler smiled.

JJ opened the box and her mouth fell open when she saw a white karat gold necklace with a simple blue pendant hanging from it. "Emily," she let out in a whisper.

"I thought it would bring out your eyes more," Emily said. "Do you like it?"

"It's absolutely gorgeous." JJ ran her finger along the necklace. "This must've cost you a fortune."

"Don't worry about that," Emily said. "And don't say you can't accept it." Emily took the necklace from the box and stepped behind JJ. "May I?"

JJ nodded her head and Emily put the necklace on her. She turned the blonde around and smiled. "It looks great on you."

JJ touched the necklace. "Thank you, Emily. I don't even know if a thank you is enough. It really is gorgeous."

"A thank you is more than enough," the profiler said.

JJ leaned forward and kissed Emily on her cheek. "I love all my gifts. I was really missing that shirt."

Emily was momentarily stunned by the kiss JJ had placed on her cheek, but soon came back to her senses. "I know. We should head back downstairs before everyone starts to wonder where we are."

* * *

JJ was in the kitchen drinking a glass of water as she thought about a certain brunette profiler. The others were in the living room sharing stories and she had slipped away to be alone.

A sudden voice brought her out of her reverie.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" Garcia asked.

JJ looked at her friend. "I'll give you one guess."

Garcia smiled. "Emily?"

JJ nodded. "She's so amazing, Pen."

Garcia's eyes traveled to the necklace around JJ's neck and her eyes widened. "Whoa, did you have that on earlier?"

JJ shook her head. "Emily gave it to me. Among other things."

"It's stunning," Garcia said. "Wow. You know, friends don't give friends gifts like that."

"Sure they do," JJ said.

Garcia shook her head. "That's definitely a gift with a romantic undertone."

"Don't fill my head with hope," JJ said. "It's just a gift."

Reid appeared at the doorway and smiled at the women. "Hey we're missing you two out there."

"Sorry," JJ said. "We were just talking. We'll be out in a second."

Reid nodded his head and went back to the living room.

Garcia looked back at her friend. "JJ tell that woman out there that you want to be with her or I'll do it for you." The tech analyst left the kitchen and JJ rubbed her face with her hands. This crush she had on Emily was seriously starting to stress her out.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

It was a Monday afternoon and Garcia was on a mission. She was not going to let another day pass without Emily knowing how JJ felt about her. Derek and Reid had gone on their lunch break and Emily was sitting at her desk finishing up some reports. JJ was also still in her office looking through cases. "Okay, Penelope," the blonde spoke to herself. "It's time to do your thing."

Garcia left her office and approached Emily. "Em."

Emily looked up from her paperwork and smiled at Garcia. "What's up?"

"JJ needs us in her office," Penelope said.

"Oh, okay." Emily put down her pen and stood up from her desk. Garcia walked to JJ's office with Emily in tow. Once she reached the door, she didn't bother knocking.

JJ lifted her head from her papers at the sudden intrusion and frowned.

"Hope you're not busy," Garcia said.

"Actually, I-."

"Great," Garcia closed the door and looked at Emily. "Emily, JJ has a huge crush on you and she's had it for a very long time."

JJ froze in her seat. "Penelope," she warned.

"She didn't want to tell you because she thought it would ruin your friendship and if I'm correct, and I always am, then you having intimate feelings for her too. You two talk. I'll be in my office." Garcia left the room, closing the door behind her.

JJ felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She was sure that she was bright red. _I'm going to kill her. _JJ thought. _Penelope Garcia is so dead. _

Emily hadn't moved since she entered the office. She was left in shock by Garcia's words. Did JJ really have a crush on her?

JJ forced herself to look at Emily. "Um… can we pretend that didn't just happen?"

Emily shook her head slowly. "Do you really have a crush on me?"

JJ looked down at her desk. She decided lying wasn't going to do her any good. "Yes. I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends."

Emily went over to JJ and knelt down in front of her. She turned the swivel chair so that the blonde was facing her. "Hey, look at me." When JJ didn't do so, Emily placed the crook of her finger under JJ's chin and gently tilted her head up. "Jennifer, look at me."

JJ raised her eyes to meet Emily's.

"Don't ever be sorry for how you feel," Emily said. "I'm not. If I knew I stood a chance with you, then I would've asked you out months ago."

JJ's eyes widened. "You would've?"

Emily smiled. "You're amazing Jennifer Jareau. Of course I would've. So...I guess this means if I ask you out on a date, you'll say yes?"

JJ smiled. "Ask and find out."

"Jay-Jay would you like to go on date with me?"

JJ nodded. "I would love to go on a date with you."

"Is tonight okay? Seven-ish?" Emily asked.

"I'll ask Garcia if she can babysit Henry for me," JJ said.

"Great." Emily stood up. "I should let you get back to work." Emily made her way to the door but stopped and turned her head to look at the blonde. "That necklace really does look great on you," she said before leaving the office.

A big smile spread across JJ's face and she looked up at the camera in the corner of her office. She made a 'come here' gesture with her finger and a few minutes later she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in, Garcia," she said.

Garcia entered the office with a smile. "Is it safe for me to be in here alone with you?"

JJ laughed. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to thank you. I'm going on a date with Emily tonight… if you're able to watch Henry for me." JJ gave Garcia her best puppy dog eyes.

"I would absolutely love to watch my godson," Garcia said. "What are you two going to do?"

JJ shrugged. "I don't know. I honestly don't care. I'm just happy to be going on a date with her."

"You're so cute," Garcia said. "I'm glad I could play matchmaker for you two. I should've done it forever ago. Anyway, I'll leave you to daydream about Emily." Garcia walked out of the office and could hear that Morgan was back from lunch since he was bugging Emily.

"What are you in such a good mood about?" Morgan asked Emily.

"What makes you think I'm in a good mood" Emily asked.

"I know writing a report about how a serial killer skinned his victims isn't making you smile like that."

"Can't a girl just be in a good mood?"

Morgan looked at her suspiciously. "All right, I see how you want to do this." Morgan pointed two fingers at his eyes before pointing them at Emily. "I'm watching you, Princess."

Emily still had a smile on her face as she went back to her paperwork. She hoped the day would go by faster because she was looking forward to tonight.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

JJ walked downstairs in tight jeans and a nice top to ask Garcia what she thought of the outfit. Henry had fallen asleep during the drive home so the blonde was watching TV. "How does this look?"

Garcia laughed. "Great just like the other three outfits you showed me. Has she told you what you two are going to do?"

"I told her I wanted to cook her dinner since I owed it to her anyway. That's why our date moved up an hour," JJ said. "So we're going to eat and then the rest is up to her."

"I'm so happy for you two," Garcia smiled.

"We owe it to you."

"You would've ended up together without me, but that probably would've taken longer."

"All right, I should get going. Thanks for watching Henry. Call me if you need anything."

"Have fun. Get laid!"

JJ laughed "And what kind of girl do you think I am?"

"One that really wants to jump our lovely brunette agent," Garcia said.

JJ winked and left the house. She was anxious about tonight and looked forward to spending the night with Emily as more than just friends.

* * *

After finding food in Emily's kitchen to cook, JJ got started on making dinner. The brunette had been banned from the kitchen for the umpteenth time since she kept trying to help. As JJ stirred the contents of the pot, she heard Emily clear her throat. Smiling, she turned her head to look at her. "Yes?"

"If I promise not to help, then can I stay in here with you?" Emily asked.

"That's fine. It's almost done." JJ used the spoon to get some of the sauce that she had made. She walked over to the brunette and held the spoon up to her mouth. "Try it."

Emily tasted the sauce and licked her lips. "That's delicious."

JJ smiled at the approval. "I'm glad you like it. It's a family recipe."

JJ put the spoon down on the counter and turned back to Emily, letting out a content sigh. "I like this."

"What?" Emily asked.

JJ moved closer to Emily and put her arms around the brunette's shoulders. "Making you dinner, being on a date with you, being able to do this if I want to…" She leaned in and placed a kiss on Emily's lips. "It is okay if I do that, right?"

"That's more than okay," Emily said. "Actually, I think you should do it more often."

"So are we an official couple or are we just testing the water?" JJ wanted to be sure she and Emily were on the same page.

"I would like for us to be a couple. Unless you want to move slower than that."

JJ shook her head. "I want what you want. I was just making sure."

Emily kissed JJ softly on the lips. "Then I look forward to doing that whenever I want as well."

JJ smiled and turned around to go back to tending to dinner. "Can you set the table, Em?"

"Yep."

The media liaison's phone went off and both women stopped their actions. "Please don't be Hotch, please don't be Hotch." JJ pulled the phone from her pocket.

"Who is it?" Emily asked.

"My mom," JJ said, relieved. The blonde flipped her phone open and put it to her ear. "Hi mom, I'm on a date. Can I talk to you later? …Yes with Emily… no, you can't talk to her… why do you want to talk to her? …no…hold on." JJ held her phone out to Emily. "My mom wants to talk to you."

Emily frowned and mouthed, "Why?" JJ shrugged and Emily took the phone. "Hi Mrs. Jareau… thank you. Me too…We will… goodnight." Emily closed the phone and handed it back to JJ. "She said that she's glad we finally came to our senses and she hopes we have a good date. Did she know you liked me?"

"Yeah, I might've mentioned to her how I feel about you once or twice."

"I really wish we didn't wait so long to do something about our feelings," Emily said. "All I can think about is wasted time."

"I know," JJ agreed. "No more wasting time. Dinner is ready. Let's get our date underway."

* * *

After having dinner, Emily wanted to take JJ outside for a walk. The two were walking down the sidewalk hand in hand as they had a conversation about when they first realized they had a crush on each other.

"You go first," Emily said.

"I realized I had a crush on you when some girl hit on you and I wanted to hurt her. I wrote my feelings off as being overprotective of a friend, but when I was with Will, I found myself wishing I was with you. That's when I finally broke up with him. What about you?"

"I realized it when we first met and you were telling me about what you do," Emily said. "I swear you have the hardest job of all of us. Choosing cases, dealing with the press and going out in the field. You juggle it all and I wondered how you managed to keep yourself together. I admire you, Jay-Jay. You're an amazingly strong woman and I hope you know that we all appreciate what you do. You're the heart of the team."

JJ stopped walking, but kept her hold on Emily's hand causing the brunette to stop with her. "It means a lot to hear you say that. Thank you."

"I'm just being honest with you. You're great, Jennifer."

JJ placed a chaste kiss on Emily's lips. "You're sweet and pretty great yourself. Um, I have to release Garcia of her babysitting duties soon, but do you think you'd want to spend the night? You can bring a change of clothes and anything else you might need."

Emily smiled. "I'd like that."

The new couple turned around and headed back to Emily's place happy that they were finally together.

* * *

Emily was sitting on the edge of JJ's bed while the other woman was checking on Henry. The profiler was dying to touch JJ. She wasn't sure if the blonde had sex on her mind when she asked her to stay the night, but if she did, then she wanted nothing more than to make JJ feel things she never thought she could feel. There had been so many times when Emily had sat alone at home thinking about making love to the woman that occupied her thoughts, her heart.

JJ entered the room and smiled at Emily. "What's on your mind?"

Emily's eyes met JJ's and the blonde's breath caught in her throat. The brunette's brown eyes were darker than usual and the way Emily was looking at her made her feel as if the agent would pounce on her at any second.

"Never mind," JJ said as she closed the bedroom door. "I think I know what's on your mind."

"Yeah?" Emily bit down on her lower lip.

JJ's eyes took in Emily's soft lips. She loved when the brunette did that. "Yeah." JJ's hands moved up to the hem of her shirt, but Emily stood up and stopped her.

"Let me." She kissed JJ and the blonde instantly opened her mouth to let Emily's tongue find hers. Emily's hand made its way up JJ's shirt to caress her stomach as the kiss intensified.

After being thoroughly kissed, JJ pulled away to catch her breath. Emily took this opportunity to pull the blonde's shirt over her head before letting her lips trail down JJ's neck. The media liaison moaned as Emily sucked on her pulse point and pushed the brunette so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

Emily smirked and JJ pulled the brunette's shirt off. "Are we going to have a battle of dominance here Agent Jareau?"

JJ pushed Emily again so that she was lying down before straddling the brunette's thighs. "Possibly," she grinned before leaning down to kiss Emily.

* * *

Emily gently removed JJ's arms from around her waist so that she could get out of bed. When she looked at the clock, she saw that it was six in the morning. She made her way to the bathroom, closing the door softly before flipping on the light.

The brunette smiled at her reflection in the mirror as the proof of last night was marked on her body. The first orgasm JJ had was what caused the scratches on her left shoulder. The second was what made the scratches on her lower back that she could feel stinging her at the moment. Her smile widened at the thought of the third. JJ's third orgasm left teeth marks on her right shoulder. The blonde had begged her to stop so that she could have a few moments to come down from her high, but Emily kept going until JJ came undone for the third time in a row.

The profiler was sore. A good kind of sore. JJ had been absolutely amazing last night and she didn't think sex for them could get any better than that and it was only their first time together.

The door to the bathroom was pushed open and Emily smiled when she saw JJ's reflection in the mirror.

JJ's eyes trailed down Emily's naked body and she noticed the scratches. She looked up and saw her teeth marks on the brunette's shoulder through the mirror. "Shit. I'm sorry, babe. I didn't realize I had been so rough. Do they hurt?"

"In a good way," Emily replied, huskily.

JJ laughed and wrapped her arms around Emily, resting her chin on the brunette's shoulder. Emily felt herself getting turned on at feeling JJ's bare breasts against her back and the blonde could tell.

"No sex. I'm still worn out," JJ said.

"Then you better release me," Emily smirked.

JJ placed a kiss on Emily's shoulder. "Come back to bed."

Emily left the bathroom and got back into bed with JJ. "So are we keeping us a secret?"

JJ turned on her side, using her hand to keep her head up as she looked at Emily. "We don't have to. I would personally like to tell the team that we are together."

Emily took JJ's hand and intertwined their fingers together as she rested it on her stomach. "I'd like that too. I don't think Hotch would transfer either of us. We just have to make sure we don't give him a reason to believe that our relationship will get in our way at work."

"I think we can manage that." JJ cuddled up to Emily and closed her eyes. "Let's get some more sleep."

Emily placed a kiss on JJ's forehead and closed her eyes as well. She hoped the team would be okay with them dating.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Emily and JJ gave each other a look of reassurance before JJ knocked on Hotch's door. When they heard him tell them to come in, they entered hoping they would be leaving in a good mood.

"Hotch, we need to tell you something," JJ said.

Hotch looked at them with worry. "Is everything all right?"

The two agents nodded.

"Well, what is it?" Hotch asked.

"Emily and I are in a relationship," JJ said. "It hasn't been long. This is all new to us since yesterday."

"And we will keep our personal and professional lives separate," Emily added.

Hotch opened his mouth to speak, but JJ continued talking.

"We know that this breaks regulation and it gives Strauss a reason to break the team up, but we'll be discrete.

"We hope that you'll give us a chance to prove to you that we can act professionally at all times while dating," Emily said.

"May I speak now?" Hotch asked.

Both women nodded.

"All that's left for me to say after that is professionally, I disagree with you two being together. Personally, I'm happy that you two have found something in each other. If you two can in fact prove to me that you can manage to be in a relationship without letting your emotions get the best of you out in the field, then the professional side of me may have a different opinion."

JJ smiled. "Thank you, sir."

"We won't do anything to jeopardize this team," Emily said.

"Good," Hotch said. "Now get back to work."

JJ and Emily left the office and went to JJ's.

"That wasn't bad at all," JJ said. "I was expecting a lecture."

"I was too. When are we going to tell the others?" Emily asked.

The phone on JJ's desk began to ring and she quickly answered it. "Agent Jareau."

Emily motioned towards the door and JJ waved bye to her before she left. The brunette walked downstairs and sat down at her desk. As she got settled in and prepared to do paperwork, she felt eyes on her. When she looked up, she saw Morgan staring at her.

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Yes?"

"You look relaxed," Morgan stated.

"Don't I usually?" Emily asked.

Morgan shook his head. "This is a 'I had a good night' type of relaxed."

Emily's face remained neutral as she responded to her nosey colleague. "I did have a good night."

Morgan smirked. "Doing what exactly?"

"I had a nice glass of wine and a read a book."

Morgan laughed as he sat back in his chair eyeing the brunette. "You expect me to believe that a glass of wine and a book has you looking the way you do?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "I can't smile, I can't look relaxed. What can I do Morgan?"

"You can tell me what the name of the woman is that you're seeing."

"Your mom," Emily replied with a smirk. She knew that she and JJ planned on telling the team, but she loved messing with Morgan.

"Oh, that's mature," Morgan laughed. "Come on. Who is she?"

"I never said there was anyone," Emily said.

"Then why are you so happy?"

Spencer looked up from his desk to look at Morgan. "You know not everyone needs to be in a relationship to be happy."

"Thank you, Reid," Emily said.

"Why are you siding with her?" Morgan asked.

"I'm not siding with anyone. I was just stating my opinion," Reid said. "An opinion which is based off fact."

JJ exited Hotch's office and walked down to the bullpen. "We have a case."

"Thank god," Emily stood up and quickly headed to the conference room.

JJ frowned and looked at Morgan. "What'd you do to her?"

"I was just trying to find out if she was seeing anyone," Morgan said. "She's been acting different. Would you know anything about that?"

"Yes," JJ replied, nonchalantly.

Morgan was glad to know someone knew what was going on. "Well?"

"Conference room in five." JJ smiled and headed to Garcia's office.

Morgan shook his head. "That's all right. I'll find out on my own," he called after the blonde.

* * *

"Hey Pen, we've got a case," JJ said.

Garcia turned around in her seat with a smile on her face. "How long do we have?"

"Five minutes," JJ replied.

"Great. How'd your date go?" Garcia asked. "Did you kiss her? Did you do other things that require you to be in a horizontal position?"

JJ laughed. "The date went great, we did kiss and that's personal information."

Garcia smirked. "Since when is that personal information?"

"Emily's a private person so I don't want to talk about our sex life because if she ever found out that I told you, she'd be so embarrassed."

"So you two do have a sex life to speak of?" Garcia asked. "Just a little something. Come on."

"There are no words to describe to you how hard Emily rocked my world," JJ said before turning around and leaving the office.

Garcia smiled to herself as she stood up. She was glad that Emily and JJ were finally together. Her best friends would now be happy and she was looking forward to seeing them that way.

* * *

JJ used a remote to pull up pictures of two boys. "These are Daniel Frederick and Martin Powell. Both sixteen. Daniel went missing two weeks ago on Thursday and was found dead that Saturday by a dumpster. Last week Martin went missing on Wednesday and was found dead by the very same dumpster on Friday." JJ brought up the pictures of the dead bodies and the dump site on the slideshow. "It looks like the murders happened somewhere else and the bodies were dumped here. Each victim has several bruises and stab wounds."

"What's the victimology?" Hotch asked.

"The victims came from wealthy families, they went to the same high school and were on the basketball team," JJ said.

"So someone's killing rich jocks?" Morgan asked. "We're probably looking for a loner. Someone who's not popular."

"And from the multiple stab wounds, the unsub must've had a personal grudge against them," Reid added.

"Them being rich and popular could be the grudge," Rossi said.

"Does anyone know what they were doing before they went missing?" Emily asked.

"Daniel Frederick was getting tutored and Martin Powell was going for a run," JJ said.

Emily bit her lower lip as she thought for a few seconds and JJ had to fight the urge to stare. "The unsub must've known their routine and was waiting for them."

"That's likely," Hotch agreed.

JJ showed a new picture up on the slide. "This is Ben Brooks."

"Rich jock?" Reid asked.

"Yes," JJ nodded. "He went missing yesterday after leaving the public library. He volunteers there. The unsub kills his victims after two days so we have until tomorrow to find him alive."

Hotch looked at Garcia. "We'll need you with us on this one. Everyone get your go-bags. We leave for Tennessee in ten."

* * *

Emily turned her head from the window of the plane to look at Morgan. "Will you stop staring at me?"

Morgan laced his fingers together and rested them on the small table in front of him. "Then tell me what I want to know."

Emily sighed. "You are so annoying." The brunette looked over at JJ who was having a conversation with Garcia. "Jay-Jay, I think it's time."

JJ smiled as she moved to sit next to Emily. She took Emily's hand into hers and Morgan looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "We're dating."

Morgan laughed as he shook his head. "Come on, Prentiss. Stop messing around. Who is it really?"

"It's really her," Emily gestured to JJ. "She's my girlfriend as of yesterday."

"Seriously?" Morgan was still wary. "You're not kidding?"

Garcia smiled from her seat. "They're together. Thanks to me and my cupid skills."

"You knew about this and didn't tell me?" Morgan was shocked. He turned his head to look at Reid. "Are you hearing this?"

The scrawny man nodded his head. "Congratulations," he smiled. "I'm happy for you both."

"I'm happy for you both too," Morgan said. He leaned closer to them and lowered his voice. "Does Hotch know about this?"

"Yeah," JJ said. "We told him this morning and he told Rossi."

"And he's cool with it?"

"Yes and no," JJ answered. "He'll have to see how we act out on the field together."

"Well, this calls for a celebration when we get back home," Morgan said.

JJ gave Emily's hand a light squeeze before getting up and going back to her seat.

Morgan smiled at Emily. "I should've seen it before. You two make a cute couple."

"Thanks, Derek," Emily said.

"I don't have to give you the whole 'if you hurt her' speech do I?" Morgan asked.

Emily shook her head. "Penelope still needs to give me hers. Don't worry though. The last thing I would do purposely is hurt her."

JJ looked over at them from her seat. "You know we can still hear you, right?"

"Yeah, we know," Emily smiled.

JJ returned the smile before continuing her conversation with Garcia.

"Hey," Reid looked at Emily and then JJ. "Will you two be able to share a room from now on? It would make sense. You'll probably sleep in each other's room anyway so it's useless to have an extra."

JJ hadn't thought about that. She leaned over so that her head was in the isle and she looked at her boss. "Hotch."

Hotch kept his eyes on his the case file. "I don't see anything wrong with that."

JJ smiled at her girlfriend. Being wrapped in Emily's arms after a hard day on a case would definitely be something she looked forward to.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Emily and JJ entered Emily's hotel room looking exhausted. It had been a long day. Daniel and Martin's friends and family claimed that the boys were great people who didn't have any enemies. The same was said about Ben. The perfect teenager. There was no such thing.

Garcia had been through the boys' laptops and found a vague conversation they had in Ben's message history online. He had told his friends, Daniel and Martin that the unsub was bluffing and wouldn't say anything. Even if he did no one would believe him. They had nothing to worry about. The team knew that whatever the jocks did to the unsub was what had him killing them off.

Emily sighed as she plopped down on the bed. "When will kids learn to stop bullying each other?"

JJ kicked her shoes off and joined Emily on the bed. "I don't see that ever happening. School is like a caste system. Some kids just think they're better than others and have the right to treat unpopular kids the way they want to prove that."

"Do you think the rest of the basketball team knows more than what they're saying?"

JJ rested her head on Emily's shoulder and the brunette draped an arm over the media liaison's stomach. "No, I don't think so. A member of the team was out today so we'll talk to him tomorrow when he returns from his grandmother's funeral." The blonde placed a kiss on Emily's jaw before sitting up.

"Hey, get back here," Emily protested.

"I need to take a shower," JJ said.

"Wait until after."

"After what?"

"Come here and find out," the brunette smirked.

* * *

The next morning…

Emily and Reid stood off to the side of the basketball court as they waited for the basketball coach to fetch Sean Wells, the missing team member from yesterday.

"I do not miss high school," Emily said.

"Were you unpopular?" Reid asked.

"Yeah, for the most part," Emily replied. "It all didn't really matter to me anyway. I was never in one place for too long."

"Ever get bullied?" Reid asked.

"Nope, I think people were afraid to say much to me with who my parents are," Emily said. "Here comes Sean Wells."

The boy walked over to the agents in his orange and white basketball uniform. "Coach said I had to talk to you."

"You don't have to, but we would like you to," Reid clarified.

The boy nodded. "About Daniel, Martin and Ben, right?"

Emily nodded. "I'm special agent Prentiss and this is special agent Dr. Reid. Can you tell us if anyone had anything against your friends?"

"Honestly they weren't really my friends," Sean said. "They were pretty much full of themselves, ya know? Ate and hung out with a certain crowd and all that. This might come up later so I'll mention it now. I got in a fight with Ben about a month ago."

"What about?" Reid asked.

"He was messin' with someone. I told him to back off. He got upset and we went at it."

"Do you remember the name of the person he was harassing?" Emily asked.

"Adam. Adam Doyle. Lots of people pick on Adam, but Ben was just too much with it. Knocking books out of his hands, calling him a fag and whatnot.

"Would Adam get angry when that happened?" Reid asked.

Sean shook his head. "He would just walk away. That's all I know."

"Okay, thanks," Reid said.

Sean said bye and walked away.

"Okay, let's go talk to Adam Doyle," Emily said.

Emily and Reid had gone to the principal's office to find out if Adam could be called to the office, but they learned that his dad had called saying that Adam wasn't feeling well. Emily called Hotch to let him know about the boy and after getting his address from Garcia, Hotch sent Morgan and JJ to talk to him while Emily and Reid talked to the principal.

"Adam Doyle is a good kid," Mr. Henderson said. "His mother died a few months ago and that's when he became depressed and closed off. He used to be a little more outgoing, but not by much."

"You've never had a problem with him?" Emily asked.

Mr. Henderson shook his head. "Never. Like I said, he's a good kid."

* * *

"I miss high school," JJ said as Morgan parked the SUV outside Adam Doyle's house.

"What do you miss? Were you little Ms. Popular?" Morgan got out of the SUV.

JJ got out of the SUV as well. "I was. It was less stressful and although not completely carefree, it was a laidback environment. Coming from a small town has its perks I guess. Everyone knew everyone. We got along for the most part. What about you?"

Morgan shook his head as he walked with JJ to the front door of the house. "I just wanted to get out of high school and be out on my own. Doing my own thing."

JJ rang the doorbell. "Fair enough."

Seconds after ringing the doorbell, a man around his fifties opened the door. "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Hi, I'm agent Morgan and this is agent Jareau of the FBI." Morgan flashed the man his credentials and JJ did the same. "May we come in and speak to your son?"

Mr. Doyle frowned. "What'd he do?"

"We just want to ask him some questions about a few classmates of his," JJ said.

"I really have to get going. I have a plane to catch. I'm already running late. And before you say anything, it's just overnight. It's a business trip. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. Adam can watch over himself and I asked the neighbor to check in on him. So is this going to take long?"

"We'll make it fast," JJ promised. "Is he feeling okay?"

Adam's father nodded. "He just didn't want to go to school and I didn't feel like arguing with him about it today. He's up in his room." Mr. Doyle opened the door wider and let the agents in.

JJ and Morgan followed the man upstairs to Adam's room and could hear the sixteen-year old playing the guitar.

Mr. Doyle knocked on the door before pushing it open. "Hey Adam. These agents want to talk to you. Cooperate with them, all right?"

Adam nodded his head and set his guitar down beside him on the bed before getting up.

"You can stay sitting," Morgan said.

Adam sat back down on the bed.

"I'm agent Morgan and this is agent Jareau," Morgan began. "We just want to ask a few questions. Is that okay?"

Adam nodded. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead."

JJ looked at Mr. Doyle. "Is it okay if we talk to him alone?"

Mr. Doyle nodded and left to give them their privacy.

"You play the guitar very well," JJ complimented the boy.

Adam smiled. "Thank you. I've been playing for two years. I taught myself."

"Is that why you aren't in school?" Morgan asked. "You wanted to practice."

Adam sighed. "No. I don't like school. Didn't feel like dealing with it today, but I'm sure that's not why you're here."

"You're right," Morgan said. "Do you know who Daniel Frederick, Martin Powell and Ben Brooks are?"

"Yeah, who doesn't?" Adam said. "I'm not close to them or anything though. I can't tell you about them."

"They weren't nice to you were they?" Morgan asked.

"No, but not many people are," Adam shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I won't be there much longer."

"What do you mean by that?" JJ asked.

"I'll be done with school in two years."

"That's long to most teenagers," JJ stated.

"It'll go by fast. I'll be in college before I know it."

"That's a good way to look at it," Morgan said. "What do you want to major in?"

"I was thinking music," Adam said. "I play the piano and violin too."

"You're a multi-talented young man," Morgan smiled.

Adam smiled back. "My mom taught them to me. She loved music."

"Does all your free time go to music?" JJ asked.

"For the most part," Adam said. "I don't go out much. I'm what my dad calls socially awkward."

JJ noticed a book on Adam's nightstand and smiled. "Slaughterhouse Five?"

Adam nodded. "It's a great book. Have you read it?"

JJ shook her head. "A friend of mine has, but I've never been interested in it. She keeps trying to get me to read it."

"You should," Adam said. "It's awesome."

"I agree," Morgan said. "I don't know many kids your age reading books like that."

"We're around," Adam grinned. "If you look hard enough. I will admit though that 'Harry Potter' is a guilty pleasure of mine. But hey, let's keep that between us."

JJ smiled at the boy's playfulness. "Don't worry we will."

Mr. Doyle reentered the room and looked at the agents. "I really need to get going. Are you done here?"

Morgan nodded his head. "Yes, Mr. Doyle we're done." He looked back at Adam. "Have a good day. Go to school tomorrow."

Adam laughed. "Yes agent." He looked at JJ. "And agent Jareau, you should really read Slaughterhouse Five. You may be pleasantly surprised."

JJ only smiled in response before leaving the house with Morgan.

"He's hiding something," JJ said once they got into the car.

"Yeah, I know. Micro-expressions were flashing all over his face. I saw anger in his eyes when we mentioned those jocks' names. But that doesn't mean he killed anyone."

"He seems like a good kid," JJ said. "Didn't even seem that shy or quiet. He became happy whenever we complimented him."

"Yeah, he must not get them a lot," Morgan said. "Can you call Hotch and see if we can get a warrant to search the house?"

"Yeah, I'm on it."

* * *

Almost an hour later, JJ and Morgan returned to Mr. Doyle's house with the rest of the team. No one had answered the door when they rang the doorbell so they entered the unlocked house. They knew Mr. Doyle was on a plane right now, but had no idea where Adam had run off to.

"He must be hiding something," Rossi said. "You two probably scared him when you came here."

"Yeah, but where did he run off to?" JJ said as she looked through Adam's things.

"There's nothing here that's going to help us," Morgan sighed.

"Just deciphered his encrypted diary." Garcia was sitting at Adam's desk. After clearing the house, she was let in to search his laptop. She wasn't usually brought along, but they weren't sure they had a lot of time so they needed her at the house.

"What happened to regular diaries?" Emily asked as she looked over Garcia's shoulder at the laptop. "A lock and a key are so much more simple."

"Welcome to the twenty-first century," Garcia smirked. "It looks like he started the diary when his mom died and after two months there is a long gap where he doesn't write anything. Oh, wow. His last entry was written three weeks ago."

"What does it say?" Hotch asked.

"They will pay for what they did to me."

"He's our unsub," Rossi said. "And we don't even have a clue where he is now."

An officer entered the room with a teenage girl with them. "This girl just arrived here. She says she knows Adam Doyle."

"He needs help," the girl said.

"What's your name?" Hotch asked.

"Hannah. Adam's my best friend," the girl said.

JJ furrowed her brows. Adam hadn't mentioned having a best friend. _He must've wanted to keep her out of this whole thing. _She thought.

"Adam left me a voicemail thanking me for being his friend and said that it was time for him to go. I tried to call him back but he didn't answer so I came straight here."

"How long ago was that?"

"Thirty minutes ago," Hannah said. Tears began to form in her eyes. "This is my fault."

"What's your fault?" JJ asked.

"He killed them didn't he? That's my fault. I should've said something."

"You knew about this and didn't do anything?" Hotch asked.

Hannah shook her head. "Ben and his friends did things to Adam. He made me promise not to tell anyone. When Daniel was found dead, I didn't make the connection, but after Martin was found dead too I thought maybe Adam had something to do with it. I asked him about it and he promised me that he didn't do anything wrong. I figured they had hurt other kids and it really wasn't Adam."

Rossi looked at the brunette. "Do you have any idea where he could be now?"

"He might be at his log cabin. I don't think him or his dad have been there in awhile though. Not since his mom died."

"Do you know the address?" Hotch asked.

Hannah told them the address. "Please don't hurt him. He's not a bad guy."

"We need to know what was done to Adam, Hannah," Hotch said. He needed to know what Adam was feeling and how to handle the situation if they found him at the cabin.

Hannah thought for a few seconds before starting to speak. "I talked him into going to some stupid party with me. I got caught up with some of my other friends and lost track of him." The teenager stopped speaking and shook her head. "I promised him I wouldn't say anything."

"Please, Hannah," JJ said. "We just want to help."

Hannah relented and told them the rest of the story. She prayed they would reach him in time before anything else bad happened.

* * *

Adam was sitting in a chair across from Ben as he drank a soda. The jock was tied up and the gag that used to be around his mouth was hanging around his neck. His face throbbed from the numerous punches that it had been met with. He could only see out of one of his eyes since the other was swollen shut.

"You don't have to do this," Ben said. "I said I was sorry."

"Shut up," Adam said, simply.

"Look, if you let me go, I'll-,"

"You'll what?" Adam said through gritted teeth. "Just shut up. The only thing I want you to do is die." He stood up and set his soda on the dining room table.

"Adam, I know what I did was wrong. I'd take it back if I could."

Adam struck Ben across the face. "You'd take it back if you could? Is that why you taunted me about it every chance you got?"

"I'm sorry."

"You're not sorry!" Adam yelled.

"I am! Me and the others… we were drunk and high. We didn't know what we were doing. We thought that if we made fun of you and scared you, then you wouldn't say anything."

"Beg me."

"What?"

"Beg me not to kill you!" Adam shouted. "Like I begged you to stop!"

Ben's eyes looked at the knife in Adam's hand. He knew that if he had any hope of getting out of here alive that he would have to fight. "Even if I do beg, you're going to kill me."

Adam pulled a gun out from the back of his pants. "I'm going to untie you and we're going to go out into the woods. Don't do anything stupid. Martin did and I made his death slower."

"You sick son of a bitch!" Ben yelled.

"I'm sick?" Adam said, incredulously. He set the gun on the table and used his free hand to grab a hand full of Ben's hair, pulling his head back. He brought the knife up to the jock's neck. "You're sick! You and your fucking friends! You drove me to do this!" He released Ben's hair and picked up the gun. He tucked it back in his pants. He didn't intend to use it on Ben. He wanted to feel the knife go into the boy's body when he killed him. He wanted to feel the life leave him. "Like I said, don't do anything stupid." He cut the rope free from around the boy's legs before moving behind him to cut the rope from around his arms.

When Ben felt that his arms and legs were free, he quickly stood up and spun around, punching Adam in the face with everything he had. Adam fell to the floor from the force and Ben ran out of the house and into the woods before the boy had a chance to get up.

* * *

Reid placed his gun back in its holster as he looked at his team. "There's no one here." He gestured to the rope on the floor. "This is definitely where he kept them though."

Emily gestured to the soda can on the table in the dining room. "The soda isn't quite warm yet. He was definitely here not too long ago."

"We're going to have to cover a lot of ground," Hotch said. "We'll have to separate so be careful out there. Let's go."

Adam stopped running and looked around. He'd been out here for half an hour and still hadn't been able to find Ben. He was starting to think that the boy had gotten away when he heard a stick snap. He moved behind a tree, gripping the knife in his hands tightly as he waited for Ben to get closer. He heard the footsteps nearing the tree and he held his breath, preparing to make his move. As soon as he thought Ben was close enough he moved from behind the tree, striking with his knife.

The boy's eyes widened when he saw that it was not Ben that he had stabbed. "Agent Jareau," he let out in shock as JJ fell to the ground. "I'm so sorry." He knelt down beside her. "I… I thought it was Ben. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He reached for the knife to pull it out.

"Don't," JJ let out in a pained whisper as her hands moved up to apply pressure around the knife.

"Move your hand. I'll use my shirt." Adam quickly pulled off his shirt and with shaky hands, he placed it on JJ's stomach. He held the shirt in place, applying pressure.

"Help!" Adam began to yell. "Help!" He heard several footsteps crashing down quickly onto leaves as the other agents ran his way. "Help! We're over here!" When he saw four agents running towards him, he quickly stood up and retrieved his gun from the back of his pants. He kept the weapon down by his side as he backed away from JJ's body.

"Drop the gun!" Hotch yelled. His gun trained on Adam.

Reid brought his wrist up to his mouth and spoke into the microphone, radioing in for an ambulance.

"I didn't mean to hurt her." Adam was distraught and all the agents could tell. "I thought she was Ben. I'm sorry. You need to help her. I won't hurt any of you. Just help her."

"We understand that it was an accident," Emily said, trying to stay focused while her girlfriend laid bleeding on the ground a few feet away from her. "You need to put the gun down."

Adam shook his head. "I can't do that." He brought the gun up to his temple and took a few more steps back.

Morgan, Reid and Hotch stepped forward past JJ as if shielding her. Emily placed her gun in her holster and knelt down to apply pressure to JJ's wound.

"We know what this is about," Hotch said. "One of our agents found Ben. We know what he and his friends did to you. We understand."

"You don't understand!" Adam cried. "They did things to me! And every day at school they would laugh at me about it! Call me a fag! They degraded me!"

Morgan took a step forward. "I know what that's like to be degraded. I understand, Adam."

Adam looked into Morgan's eyes and could tell the man was truly empathetic. "I couldn't take it anymore. Seeing them everyday and having them laugh at me. I threatened to tell, but the truth is I was too embarrassed to say a word. What would my dad think? His son getting…" Adam shook his head. "I couldn't say anything."

"But you told Hannah," Reid said. "She's your best friend. She's worried about you."

"She's a good friend. She held me all those times I cried."

JJ whispered something to Emily from their spot on the ground and keeping her eyes on her girlfriend, Emily spoke to Adam. "Agent Jareau says you had plans for college."

Adam shook his head. "They were lies. I never planned on living long enough to make it that far."

JJ said something else to Emily.

"She says they don't have to be lies. She says your mother wouldn't want you to give up on life."

Adam kept the gun to his head as tears streamed down his face. "I have a nightmare about it every night. I hear them laughing at me all the time. It's all just stuck with me."

"It'll get better," Morgan said. "I promise you that with time it'll get better. Put the gun down okay?"

Adam looked past the agents at JJ. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I hope so," Morgan said.

"I didn't mean to hurt her," Adam said.

"We know."

Adam brought the gun down to his side and let it slip from his hand. Reid quickly went over and placed handcuffs on him.

Emily stared into JJ's eyes. "Hang in there, Jay-Jay. You're going to be fine. Just hang in there."

* * *

A/N: soccerstar11-5: I didn't think about that, but now JJ will definitely be getting that talk.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

JJ was lying in a hospital bed waiting for Emily to return. After several minutes of arguing, she had been able to get it through the beautiful brunette's head that she was leaving in the morning with the rest of the team. The profiler was now retrieving JJ's go-bag so that she could leave the hospital and go straight to the airport.

It took even more convincing to get rid of the team. All she wanted to do was relax and not be fussed over. Luckily the nurse made them leave so she could rest.

Emily entered the room with a go-bag in each hand and JJ smiled weakly at her. "Why'd you bring yours?"

"I'm staying the night," Emily said. "I told you that."

"And I told you that hospitals are not exactly comfortable to be having sleepovers," JJ smirked.

"I'm staying," Emily set the bags down and kissed JJ on the forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been run through," JJ answered. She noticed the look on Emily's face and smiled. "Hey, stop looking like someone shot your dog. I'm going to be fine. No vital organs were hit. The doctor even said I could go home."

"Yeah in two days," Emily said. "Not tomorrow."

"Either way I'm okay," JJ said. "Stop pouting."

Emily glared at the media liaison. "I don't pout."

JJ laughed, but suddenly regretted it when her wound started to hurt. "Ow, stop being cute. It makes me laugh."

"I'll do my best," Emily said. "But on a serious note. Do you want to talk about what happened?" JJ nodded and Emily sat down in the chair beside the bed. "I'm listening."

"When it first happened, I couldn't even keep up with the thoughts that were going through my head. I was worried about Henry growing up without a mom. I was upset that I might not be able to see him get older. I regretted not doing something about my feelings for you earlier because we didn't get enough time together. I was just mentally freaking out. Then you bent down beside me and I felt safe. A calm came over me. Do you realize the amazing effects you have on me Emily Prentiss?"

"No, but if it's anything like how you make feel, then I completely understand."

JJ brought her hand up to stroke the side of Emily's face. She didn't speak. She simply looked into the brunette's brown eyes, happy to stay that way forever, but something else was on her mind. "How's Adam? Were you able to get a hold of his father?"

Emily nodded. "He's on his way back. I don't know how Adam is holding up. I haven't seen him since the log cabin. He did ask Reid to tell him how you were doing though. He feels terrible about hurting you."

"He's a good kid," JJ said. "Something horrible happened to him and he dealt with it in the worst way, but he's a good kid."

Emily brought her hand up to her face to place it on top of JJ's. She gave it a light squeeze. "I know." Emily moved JJ's hand from her face to place a kiss on it. "Get some sleep. Our flight is at ten tomorrow."

"You sleep too," JJ said as she closed her eyes. She was drained and it didn't take her long to fall into a deep sleep.

Emily moved a strand of hair from JJ's face and watched as she slept. She was content to do that for the rest of the night.

* * *

Four days later…

JJ was losing her mind. She had been home for too long and just wanted to get back to work. She also missed Emily. The team had been called in to work a case in California and that was three days ago. The case was over though and she was waiting impatiently for her girlfriend to arrive.

Mrs. Jareau entered her daughter's bedroom with Henry in her arms. "He's been fed and bathed. Are you sure it's okay for me to go?"

"Yeah, mom I'm fine," JJ said. "The only reason I'm still in bed is because you won't let me do anything. I've been cleared to return to work so I'll drop Henry off tomorrow morning."

"When's Emily getting here?" Mrs. Jareau asked. "I can stay until she gets here."

"Mom. Go," JJ laughed. "Dad has the flu and I know you want to look after him too. I'm fine, really."

Mrs. Jareau gave Henry a kiss and placed him in JJ's arms before kissing the girl on the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow. Call if you need anything."

"Okay. Thanks for your help," JJ said as the woman left. She looked at her son and smiled. "Are you excited that Emily's coming back?" The boy smiled at his mother. Yeah, me too. Hopefully she'll be here soon."

Emily walked up to JJ's front door and was getting ready to ring the doorbell when the door opened. "Hi, Mrs. Jareau."

"Emily, hi," the older woman smiled. "Perfect timing. How was your flight?"

"Long," Emily answered. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. Heading home to take care of my husband. He has the flu. JJ's upstairs in her room with Henry. She's doing a lot better. She missed you."

"I missed her too," Emily smiled.

"Well I won't keep you two apart any longer. Have a goodnight."

"You too." Emily entered the house and locked the door before heading upstairs. When she reached JJ's room, she leaned against the doorway and watched as JJ played with her laughing son. "Here are my two favorite people," she said after a few seconds and walked further into the room.

JJ looked up and a big smile spread across her face. "Hey you." She scanned the brunette from head to toe. She was in sweatpants and a t-shirt. The bags under her eyes told her that Emily hadn't gotten a lot of sleep during this case. "You went home first?"

"Yeah, I needed to shower and be alone for awhile." Emily stretched across the bed to place a kiss on JJ's lips.

Henry crawled out of his mother's lap and over to Emily. The brunette picked the boy up and greeted him with a kiss too.

"Hard case?" JJ asked.

Emily nodded. "Everyone's fine though. Morgan's a little beat up. He got into a brawl with the unsub, but he's fine." The brunette noticed a book on the bed and smiled. "You're reading Slaughterhouse Five?"

"I finished it. It wasn't what I was expecting." JJ knew that Emily was trying to change the subject, but she wanted to make sure Emily was all right. "Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, why?" Emily kicked off her shoes and got onto the bed with JJ. She let Henry sit on her lap and he sat there quietly as he played with her fingers.

JJ studied Emily's face and could tell that the brunette was upset. "You look upset. Want to talk about it?"

"I'm just tired," Emily said.

"Emily, you don't have to compartmentalize everything," JJ said. "Talk to me… please?"

Emily sighed and looked over at her girlfriend. "This unsub broke into peoples' homes and tortured them for hours on end. If there's one place a person is supposed to feel safe, it's their home. It just enrages me, you know?"

JJ pulled one of Emily's hands from Henry and intertwined their fingers. "I know. But you stopped him. That's what you have to focus on because if you think about all the people he hurt before the team was able to get to him, you'll drive yourself crazy."

"He laughed when we caught him. He went on about how much fun he had doing what he did." Emily didn't want to get into too much detail with Henry present. "I wanted to hurt him. I wanted him to feel what he made all his victims feel. How horrible does that make me?"

"We all feel that way every once in awhile," JJ said. "It's hard not to with what we see on a day-to-day basis. But I know you, Emily. You're a good person. I know you won't let your emotions get the best of you. You're stronger than that."

"Was agent Greenaway a strong person?" Garcia had told her about Elle a few weeks after she joined the BAU.

JJ was surprised to hear Elle's name. It had been a long time since it had been spoken by her or the team. "She was, yes."

"But she broke," Emily stated.

"Everyone has their breaking point," JJ pointed out.

"Is it true she might've killed an unsub in cold blood?"

"We don't talk about it…but yes."

"Where is she now?"

JJ didn't have a clue. She never even bothered to find out what happened to Elle after she left the BAU. She realized after the agent was gone that they weren't as close as she had thought. "I don't know."

Emily sighed. "Sorry I brought all this up. I'm just in one of those moods."

"Never be sorry for feeling the way you do. Just know you can always talk to me," JJ said.

Henry crawled out of Emily's lap and went over to his mother. He crawled onto the blonde and reached for her necklace.

"Be gentle." JJ touched the necklace. "Emily got this for me, remember? We don't want anything happening to it."

Emily smiled. "Do you ever take it off?"

"No. My mom just about died when she saw it," JJ laughed.

"Speaking of moms," Emily began. "Mine wants to meet you. She's going to be in D.C. this week and insist that I introduce you two."

JJ's eyes widened as she looked at Emily. "Do I have to? From the stories I've heard, your mom is scary."

"You don't have to meet her. I'll tell her that you're busy."

"No, no. Don't. I'll meet her," JJ said. "I'm just worried she'll hate me."

"She probably will, but I don't hate you."

JJ rolled her eyes. "Thanks for calming my nerves."

Emily laughed and JJ was glad the brunette seemed to be feeling better. "You'll be fine. You have a way with people."

JJ was terrified. Ambassador Prentiss was not a woman to mess with and she did not want to give the woman any reason to dislike her. JJ would do anything for Emily and she hoped the Ambassador would see that.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Saturday afternoon…

Emily and JJ were in the parking lot outside of the mall putting the things they had bought in the trunk. Henry was fast asleep in his car seat and JJ hoped that they could make it home to put him in his crib without waking him.

"Oh my god," Emily suddenly said.

"What? What's wrong?" JJ looked at the woman.

"Section Chief Strauss is walking our way," Emily muttered.

JJ frowned. "But the sun's out."

Emily couldn't stop the laugh that erupted from her at JJ's words.

JJ put the last bag in the trunk and Emily closed it just as Strauss approached them.

"Good afternoon agent Jareau. Agent Prentiss."

"Good afternoon ma'am," Emily forced a smile.

"It's nice to see you outside of the office." JJ also had a smile plastered on her face. She hoped the woman wasn't going to immerse them into awkward conversation.

"Yes well, it's the weekend and it's nice out. I thought I'd enjoy myself a bit."

"We'll leave you to it then," Emily said. "Have a good day."

"You too agents," Strauss said before walking away.

As soon as the woman was gone, Emily and JJ relaxed.

"Lucky for us we weren't making out or something. How screwed would we have been?" Emily said.

"I know, right? Let's get out of here." JJ entered the car through the driver's side and looked in the backseat at Henry. He was fast asleep. She had plans for Emily when they reached her house so she was hoping for no interruptions.

* * *

"I'm going to put Henry down in his crib," JJ said as she headed upstairs.

Emily placed the shopping bags by the door for now and went into the living room. She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. She flipped through the channels looking for a specific station and smiled when she found it.

Seconds later, JJ entered the living room and found the brunette watching TV. "Why are you watching that?" JJ watched as two men punched and kicked each other.

"I've been dying to see this fight." Emily's eyes stayed on the TV.

JJ hadn't pegged Emily as a UFC fan. "TiVo it. I had plans for us."

"Yeah? What kind of plans?"

"Me. You. My bed," JJ said, huskily.

"This fight shouldn't be long." Emily wasn't fazed by the blonde's sultry voice.

JJ moved so that she was straddling Emily's thighs. She was determined to get what she wanted. She placed a quick kiss on the woman's lips before moving her lips to her neck. Emily tilted her head and JJ thought it was so she could get more access to her neck, but soon realized that the profiler was looking over her shoulder at the TV.

JJ huffed and moved so that she was sitting beside her girlfriend. She folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes. "This is stupid. It's just men beating each other up."

"And football is just men tackling each other," Emily retorted.

JJ stared at the TV still frustrated, but she decided to at least have fun watching. "I think the guy in the blue shorts is going to win."

"No, he's not," Emily said. "And how would you know? You don't know who either of them is."

JJ shrugged. "The guy in the blue is more attractive than the one in the yellow."

Now it was Emily's turn to roll her eyes. "You can't judge who's going to win based off their looks."

"I can and I am," JJ said. "I bet you he wins."

"Okay, what do you want to bet?" Emily asked.

JJ thought for a few seconds and grinned. "If I win, then you have to strip for me."

"Okay, and vice versa." Emily stuck out her hand and JJ shook it.

Minutes later, JJ was getting frustrated by the fighter she had chosen. "Stop getting punched in the face you idiot!"

Emily grinned. "Do I get to pick what outfit you wear when you strip for me?"

"Shut up," JJ muttered. "This is stu-." The blonde stopped speaking when her fighter knocked out his opponent. A smile replaced her frown and she looked over at her girlfriend. "I believe I just won."

Emily picked up the remote and turned off the TV. "You got lucky."

"And I'm about to get lucky again." JJ stood up and pulled Emily up with her. She dragged the brunette upstairs to the bedroom and began kissing her.

Emily moaned into the kiss. "I thought I was going to strip for you."

"That can wait until another day," JJ said. "Right now I just want sex."

Emily laughed and allowed JJ to push her onto the bed. They had a few hours before her mother showed up and they were going to put it to good use.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

JJ wasn't sure how this happened, but here she was sitting alone in her living room with Ambassador Prentiss while Emily put Henry to sleep. To say she was nervous would be an understatement. "Would you like another glass of wine Ambassador?"

"No thank you," Elizabeth said. "Ms. Jareau may I be frank with you?"

JJ was afraid of what those words meant. Was the woman going to tell her that she wasn't good enough for her daughter? "Yes, of course."

"I'm not as close with Emily as I'd like to be but she is my daughter and I love her," Elizabeth said. "Do you understand that Ms. Jareau?"

"Yes, ma'am. I do."

"And do you understand that I'm a very powerful woman capable of many things?"

JJ didn't like where this was going. She knew that the Ambassador was just trying to scare her. Emily had warned her that half the threats her mother made were just empty ones. Nevertheless, JJ wanted to bolt from the living room. "Yes, I'm well aware of that."

"Good," Elizabeth said. "You know, I can count on one hand the amount of relationships Emily has been in. None of them serious. She appears to be very committed to you though. And when my daughter commits to something, she gives it everything she has."

JJ smiled. "I know. I admire that about her."

"She may not seem it, but Emily is fragile. I'd hate for her to put her all into this relationship just to have her heart broken."

"I'm also very committed to this relationship Ambassador Prentiss. I wouldn't purposely hurt Emily. I care for your daughter deeply. She is an amazing woman and she makes me happy."

"Not that you need it, but you have my approval of your relationship with my daughter. I did a lot of asking around and it seems that you are highly respected. You're a strong, intelligent woman, Ms. Jareau. If my daughter is going to be committed to anyone, then I'm glad it's you."

JJ was taken aback by the woman's kind words. They were the last words she ever expected to come out of the woman's mouth. "Thank you, Ambassador. That means a lot."

"Please call me Elizabeth," the woman smiled. "That's a lovely necklace, by the way."

JJ's hand instantly went up to touch the pendant around her neck. "Emily gave it to me for my birthday."

"Do you know the story behind it?" Elizabeth asked.

"I wasn't aware that there was one," JJ said.

"Would you care to know it?"

JJ nodded, curious to know what the story was.

"My husband's father bought his wife a similar necklace to ours with his birthstone in it. He told her that whenever they were apart all she had to do was look at that necklace. It would remind her that he loved her with all his heart and would always be with her. My husband gave me this necklace when he first told me he loved me. His birthstone color is purple and he despises that color so he gave me a red stone instead. His favorite color. Emily hates her birthstone too. Blue is her favorite color."

JJ was touched by the meaning of the necklace. She wondered why Emily had never told it to her. She touched the necklace and smiled. She loved it even more now. "Thank you for telling me that. I don't know why she didn't."

"She probably didn't want to scare you away," Elizabeth said. "I only told it to you because I want you to know how much my daughter cares about you. Please take care of her."

"I will. I promise," JJ said.

"Is it okay if I got upstairs to speak with Emily?" Elizabeth asked.

JJ nodded. "I'll wait here. Henry's room is the last door on the left."

Elizabeth Prentiss stood up and headed upstairs to find her daughter. She walked to the baby's room and saw her daughter staring down at the crib, watching a sleeping Henry. "He's precious."

Emily jumped at the sudden sound and turned around. "Mom, you scared me."

"I had a nice talk with Jennifer," Elizabeth said.

"How many times did you threaten her?" Emily smirked.

Elizabeth shrugged. "Once or twice. I need to talk to you."

Emily sighed. "Mom whatever it is that you don't like about her please overlook it. I like her and you should be happy for me."

"I like her too," Elizabeth said.

Emily raised her eyebrows. "You do?"

"Yes."

Emily gestured towards the hallway so their conversation wouldn't wake Henry up. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Jennifer Jareau is a good woman," Elizabeth said. "She really cares about you and I hope you won't hurt her."

"Why do you think I'd hurt her?" Emily asked.

"You usually run from your feelings. I just hope you're smart enough not to let this one go. I think she'd do the Prentiss name justice."

_And the surprises keep on coming. _Emily thought. "The Prentiss name? Mom we're not getting married anytime soon. We haven't been together that long."

"I was just saying that for future reference. Anyway, I need to get going. I have a flight tomorrow morning and I need a decent amount of sleep." Elizabeth brought her hand up to Emily's hair. "Honey, you need to get a new haircut. You should think about bangs." The woman turned around and headed downstairs.

Emily chuckled to herself. Her mother was back to her "normal" self. She followed the woman down the stairs to the living room.

Elizabeth picked up her purse from the couch. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Jareau."

"Jay-Jay's fine," the media liaison said. "Thanks for coming by."

JJ and Emily walked with the ambassador to the front door.

"I'll be calling to check in soon, Emily. Oh, and please wear that dress I bought you. It'll look great on you." The woman left the house and Emily shook her head. "She's something else."

JJ closed the door. "She's not that bad."

"What'd you two talk about?" Emily asked.

"You," JJ replied.

"Well you won her over." The brunette moved to head back to the living room, but JJ grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. "Mm, what was that for?"

JJ placed another kiss on Emily's lips. She didn't want to bring up the story Elizabeth Prentiss had told her because she had a feeling Emily didn't want her to know it just yet. "It's for you being you."

"You're sweet," Emily smiled.

"I have my moments. Now, I do believe someone owes me a strip dance."

Emily groaned. "You're really going to make me do that?"

"Uh huh." JJ took Emily by the hand and pulled her upstairs. "A bet's a bet… unless you're backing out."

"I'm not backing out." Emily entered the room with JJ and watched as the blonde sat down on the edge of the bed. "I need music."

JJ laughed and went over to her iPod sitting on the nightstand. She chose a song before connecting the device to a stereo docking station. She smiled when 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' by Def Leopard filled the room.

Emily cringed. She was really about to do this.

JJ moved back to the edge of the bed and winked at Emily. "Come on, baby. Show me what you've got."

Emily closed her eyes and began to get a feel for the music. As she swayed her hips, she pulled her shirt off and tossed it at JJ's head.

JJ laughed as she removed the shirt from her face and tossed it to the side.

"I'm so making a fool out of myself right now aren't I?" Emily asked.

The blonde shook her head with a big grin on her face. "You're sexy, babe."

The profiler continued to do what she thought were sexy moves as she undid her jeans. She knew she probably looked ridiculous but the smile JJ had on her face as she watched her was worth looking a little stupid.

JJ was trying to not laugh at her girlfriend. The woman was sexy, but she was definitely out of her element. She watched in amusement as Emily kicked off her jeans and held her arms above her head as she tossed her head from side to side. The brunette stopped dancing and smirked at JJ. "Are you going to continue to make me do this?"

The younger woman got up to turn off the iPod before moving to wrap her arms around Emily's waist. "You're incredibly sexy do you know that," JJ said, huskily.

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not. You're my sexy nerd." JJ kissed Emily as she backed them up towards the bed. "And I'm going to show you just how sexy I think you are."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

One month later…

Reid knocked on the open door to JJ's office and the blonde looked up from her case files. "Hey, Jay-Jay." He entered the office. "Are you okay? You seem upset."

JJ smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Reid asked. "Are you and Emily okay?"

JJ nodded without saying a word.

"Really because ever since you two started dating you've been coming into work together. You didn't today."

"She slept at her place," JJ shrugged. "That's all."

"Well she usually comes up to your office at least twice to talk to you and she hasn't done that today either. Also, you got yourself a cup of coffee earlier and didn't check to see if she wanted any. You always check to see if she wants a cup. Oh, and you went to lunch with Garcia alone. It's usually you, Emily and Garcia. And then-."

JJ rolled her eyes. "Reid stop profiling me."

"I'm not profiling. I'm just observant," Reid stated.

JJ sighed. "We're having our first fight."

"Oh, I see. Want to talk about it?"

"No, it's stupid. I'll be fine."

"Okay." Reid turned to leave, but JJ started talking.

"Some guy flirted with me in front of Emily yesterday. I didn't flirt back but I took his number. I just thought it would be the quickest way to get rid of him. I threw his number away, but no. Emily thinks I should've told him that we were together. Now she's going on about how I'm ashamed of her and whatnot. Such crap. I tried to talk to her about it, but she likes space during a fight and I like to talk things out so we clashed."

"I guess she's justified in her feelings," Reid said.

"You guess what?" JJ glared at him.

"I guess nothing," Reid said, quickly. "I know nothing."

* * *

"Let me get this straight." Morgan was sitting on the edge of his desk looking at Emily. "You know that you overreacted but you're not going to tell her that you're sorry?"

"Not until she admits that I had a right to be upset."

"You didn't though." Morgan regretted those words when he saw the look Emily was giving him. "Look, do you really think she's ashamed of you? I think we both know that she's not. Talk to her and stop being stubborn."

Emily sighed. "You're right."

Morgan smiled. "What was that?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "I have work to do," she said before looking down at the paperwork on her desk.

The man laughed and sat back down at his desk.

* * *

Later that day, Emily headed up to JJ's office as everyone was packing up to leave. She knocked lightly on the door and smiled when JJ looked up at her. "Hi."

"Hi," JJ said, softly.

"So I'm pretty much an idiot and I'm sorry," Emily said. "I overreacted. I'll probably overreact again in the future. I'm not used to being in a serious relationship. I'm bound to make a lot of mistakes. I really am sorry."

JJ smiled at her girlfriend. "You're forgiven. You just need to understand that I'm with you and I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry I took the man's number. I was just trying to get rid of him as quickly as possible. If I told him I was with you, I could imagine him either not believing me or acting in a negative way. I didn't mean to make you think that I was ashamed of us."

"I know you're not," Emily said. "I just… I had a moment of insecurity."

JJ knew that the brunette hated to admit that she had insecurities but was glad she was able to open up to her about them. The media liaison stood up, but stopped and sat back down. "If there wasn't a camera in here, I'd kiss you. Are we okay?"

"Are we?"

"Yeah, we're fine," JJ said. "Are you ready to go home?"

Emily gestured towards the door. "The others were talking about going out for a few drinks. Think your mom will mind watching Henry for an extra two or three hours?"

"I'll call her," JJ said. "Give me a few minutes and I'll meet you downstairs."

Emily nodded and headed downstairs where the others were waiting.

"Have my power couple made up?" Garcia asked.

"We have," Emily smiled. "JJ will be down in a few. She's going to call her mom to see if she'll watch Henry for awhile longer."

"I hope she can come. It's a Friday night. We need to get wild," Garcia said.

Morgan laughed. "Yeah, it's been awhile since we've gone out and had a good time together."

JJ walked downstairs and everyone looked at her. She furrowed her brows. "What?"

"Are you joining us?" Reid asked.

"Yeah, my mom said she'll keep Henry until tomorrow."

Morgan clapped his hands together. "Let's go show everyone how the BAU gets down."

The team laughed and headed out of the office happy about what was going to be an exciting night.

* * *

JJ approached the table where Morgan and Reid were sitting. "Hello boys." She fanned herself with the money in her hands. "Next round's on me."

"Damn girl," Morgan laughed. "Did you win all that?"

JJ nodded. "They underestimated me and I kicked their asses."

Reid smiled. "They didn't know not to mess with the reigning dart champion?"

"I think they thought I was too drunk to be able to throw a dart properly," JJ laughed. "Where are Emily and Garcia?"

Morgan gestured towards the dance floor. "Garcia dragged Emily out there."

"I'm gonna go see if I can cut in." JJ dropped some money on the table so they could buy more beer before heading to her best friend and girlfriend. "Hey, Garcia. Mind if I take over?"

"Go right ahead," Garcia winked at her friend and headed back to the table. When she reached the table she saw Morgan and Reid gawking at something. When she turned her head to see what they were looking at, she saw JJ and Emily giving a whole new meaning to dirty dancing. She smiled and shook her head. "I leave them alone for less than ten seconds and they're already about to rip each other's clothes off."

"I didn't know our girls could get down like that," Morgan laughed.

Reid turned his head away. "It feels wrong to look."

Garcia picked up a beer from the table and sipped it. "Chocolate Adonis. Nerdy boy wonder. Dance floor."

Morgan and Reid got up and allowed Garcia to pull them to the dance floor.

* * *

Emily groaned as she opened her eyes. Her head was killing her. She was definitely drinking a lot less next time. She reached out beside her, but didn't feel anyone. "Jay-Jay?" When she didn't get a response, she got up and grabbed shorts and a shirt from her dresser drawer. She put the clothes on and left her room. "Jay-Jay?"

"Kitchen," She heard the blonde yell to her.

The hung-over profiler made her way into the kitchen where she found her girlfriend doing a crossword puzzle at the table. The woman was wearing Emily's shirt and a pair of her jeans. "Isn't that giving you a bigger headache than you probably already have?"

JJ looked up from the crossword puzzle and smiled. "I don't have a hangover."

Emily frowned. "But I'm pretty sure you drank more than I did."

JJ grinned. "I've only ever been hung-over once in my life and I've vowed to stay away from tequila ever since that night."

"I hate you," Emily muttered as she sat down.

JJ stood up and kissed the brunette on the temple. "I'll get you some water and aspirin."

"Thank you." Emily ran a hand through her hair.

"Garcia wants to go out for lunch. She'll be here soon."

"Lunch? What time is it?" Emily asked.

"One in the afternoon." JJ handed Emily a bottle of water and two pills. "I tried to wake you an hour ago but you threatened to shoot me."

Emily took the pills and gulped down her water. "Is it okay if I stay here and leave you and Garcia to do your thing?"

JJ smiled. "That's fine, babe. I'm picking Henry up after lunch and going back to my place. If you want though, I can stop by here first and take you to your car." Reid had driven them home last night so their cars were still at the bar. Emily shook her head. "That's okay. I'll take a cab."

"All right, maybe you should sleep some more," JJ said.

"I think I will." Emily stood up and gave JJ a quick kiss. "Have fun. Tell Garcia I said hi. I'm gonna go curl up in a ball and die."

JJ laughed and sat back down at the table to finish her crossword puzzle while she waited for her friend to arrive.

* * *

JJ and Garcia were sitting outside eating lunch and enjoying a nice conversation that didn't include serial killers, kidnappers or anything like that. After last night, JJ was in a great mood. She really had fun being out with her friends. She hadn't realized how long it had been since she let loose and had a great time.

"I still can't believe you won three hundred dollars playing darts," Garcia was saying. "Those men you played were definitely shocked."

JJ smiled at the memory. "I was shocked myself. I haven't played darts in awhile."

"We definitely need to do that again soon," Garcia said.

"Not too soon," JJ grinned. "Emily's still recovering, remember?"

Garcia laughed. "I've never seen Em drunk and I have to say that it was quite amusing. And geez, you two were all over each other. I thought you were going to have sex right there on the dance floor."

JJ smirked. "We controlled our urges until we got home."

"Maybe that's what Emily's still recovering from," Garcia joked.

JJ winked at her friend before taking a sip from her drink. "So, I have a question for you."

"I'm all ears."

"Do you think it's too soon for me to tell Emily that I'm in love with her?" JJ asked.

"You mean you haven't already?" Garcia asked with wide eyes.

JJ shook her head. "I didn't want to move too fast."

Garcia pointed to the necklace around JJ's neck. "Well I'm pretty sure she's already told you without having to say anything." She had been told about JJ's conversation with Emily's mom.

The media liaison's hand went up to the necklace. "So you don't think it's too fast?"

"You knew each other for a long time before you started dating. I don't think it's too fast at all."

"Okay then I'm going to tell her. I want to get her something though. Something that'll mean to her what this necklace means to me."

"Want to make a stop at a jewelry story?"

JJ smiled. "Definitely. Let's go."

* * *

"Do you really think she'll like it?" JJ asked as she exited a jewelry store.

"Honey, she'll love it," Garcia smiled.

"Now I have to wait a week before I can tell her I love her." JJ had found a necklace and thought that it was great, but she wanted to customize it, which meant she'd have to wait two weeks before it was ready. After a lot of pleading and a flash of her credentials, the owner of the shop said she'd have the necklace in a week instead of two.

"You can tell her today and give her the necklace later."

"No, I want to give it to her when I tell her," JJ said. "Maybe I should've flashed my gun instead of my credentials."

"That probably wouldn't have gone over well. Come on. I'll take you to your car so you can go pick up Henry."

* * *

After a nap and a refreshing shower, Emily was feeling a lot better. She had already gotten her car and was now sitting in her living room reading a book. She really wanted to be with JJ, but she decided that maybe the blonde wanted a day to herself. They spent a lot of time together and she didn't want to smother her.

Emily's phone began to ring and she picked it up from the coffee table. She smiled when she saw that it was JJ. "Hey, have fun with Garcia?"

"Always do," JJ said. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, a lot better."

"Are you busy? Henry wants you to come over."

Emily laughed. "Yeah? Are you sure it's Henry that wants me to come over?"

"Yeah, he wants his buddy. Right, Henry?"

Emily heard the baby in the background, but was surprised to hear him saying 'mama' repeatedly. "When'd he start saying that?"

"When I went to pick him up," JJ answered. "He saw me and just blurted it out. Totally made my day. So are you coming over or are you enjoying your peace and quiet?"

"The peace and quiet is driving me insane," Emily said. "I'll be over soon."

"Okay, see you in a few," JJ said before ending the call.

Emily smiled as she stood up from the couch. It appeared that she wasn't smothering JJ and she was glad about that.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

A few days later…

JJ finished setting the dining room table and gave it a quick look over before heading upstairs to get Emily. She had told the woman to stay in the bedroom while she made dinner. She was excited because she got Emily's necklace earlier than expected so she wanted to make tonight a memorable one for her girlfriend.

Emily looked up when she heard the bedroom door open. "Hey, am I allowed to leave this room yet?"

"Yes, now you have to wait downstairs in the dining room."

"Yes ma'am." Emily stood up and kissed JJ. "Are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

"Downstairs." JJ pushed Emily out the room and closed the door.

Emily chuckled to herself at JJ's antics. She wondered what was going on with the blonde. She had been acting perky all day. When she reached the dining room, she was surprised to see the table set with two lit candles and JJ's grandmother's fine china that she only used on special occasions. The light in the living room was dimmed and there was soft music playing in the background. "Am I forgetting something?" Emily asked herself. _An anniversary? No, we agreed to celebrate that every six months. Her birthday has passed, mine is in a few months. _Emily decided that she wasn't forgetting anything and sat down at the table.

After a few more minutes, she heard the clicking of heels. She turned her head to look at the entryway just as JJ was walking in. The woman was in a simple black dress and she looked gorgeous.

Emily finally found her words after staring for a few seconds. "You look beautiful, Jay-Jay." She stood up. "I'm a little underdressed." She looked down at the white top and dress pants she had worn to work.

"You look great. You always look great," JJ said.

"What's the occasion?" Emily asked. "Please tell me I'm not forgetting something."

"You're not forgetting anything," JJ assured her. "I just wanted to treat you to a nice night without us having to go out."

"Everything looks amazing. Thank you."

JJ smiled and sat down. "You're welcome."

Emily sat down as well, her gaze never leaving JJ. The younger woman was breathtaking.

The two immersed themselves into conversation as they ate dinner. Emily was enjoying this impromptu date. She tried to stay focused on her conversation with JJ but all she really wanted to do was take the media liaison to the bedroom to show her how much she appreciated her. JJ, on the other hand, was trying to find the right moment to bring up the real reason this date had happened.

When the two finished dinner, JJ excused herself and returned shortly, sitting back down across from Emily.

"You okay?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, I just wanted to check on Henry." The blonde had really gone upstairs to retrieve the necklace from her purse. "Emily, I don't really know if there's a right or wrong way to go about this, but I have something I want to say to you."

Emily looked at JJ with concern. "What is it?"

"You're great. Really, really great. I swear when I'm in a bad mood, you walk into the room and I feel better. You're a spectacular girlfriend and one of my best friends. You're the first person I've felt safe with. I can give my heart to you and know that you'll take care of it. I love you, Emily."

Emily's heart skipped a beat at the admission. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and she tried to blink them away. "I love you too, Jennifer. So much."

JJ picked up the box that was resting on her lap and handed it to Emily. "I hope you like this as much I do."

The profiler took the box and looked at JJ.

"Well open it," JJ smiled.

The older woman opened the box and let out a gasp. "Jay-Jay this is beautiful." Emily took a moment to admire the diamond knot pendant."

"I had the diamond replaced with a stone like the one you gave me." JJ touched her necklace. "Your mom told me the story behind this necklace and I was beyond touched. I hope you can find meaning in that necklace too. It symbolizes strength and eternity. Something I hope our love will always be. Strong and eternal. I was going to get you a heart pendant, but I couldn't really see the bad ass Emily Prentiss wearing something like that."

Emily couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks for keeping my reputation in mind. This is great, Jay-Jay. Really. Thank you."

"There's an engraving on the back," JJ said.

Emily took the necklace out of the box and flipped it over. "Emily, you're my everything. JJ." A tear slid down from the brunette's eye and JJ moved so that she was kneeling by her. "This means so much to me. I'll cherish this necklace forever."

JJ wiped the tear away before taking the necklace from Emily. She put it on the woman and then pulled her up from the chair. "It looks great on you."

Emily placed her hands on either side of JJ's face and pulled her in for an intense kiss. After awhile the two pulled away from lack of oxygen and Emily leaned her forehead against JJ's. "I love you."

"I love you too," JJ smiled. "Care to join me upstairs?"

Emily nodded. "I can't wait to get that dress off of you."

JJ smirked. "Guess what."

"What?"

"I'm not wearing anything under it."

JJ could've sworn she heard her girlfriend let out a feral grown before their lips crashed together again. As they blindly exited the dining room with their lips still moving against each other, JJ's cell phone went off.

"Damn it." JJ broke the kiss. "I have to get that."

"I know," Emily sighed.

JJ headed to the kitchen where she had left her phone earlier. She picked it up and put it to her ear. "Agent Jareau… okay... see you soon." JJ closed her phone and groaned in frustration. "Emily," she left the kitchen and saw the woman waiting for her by the stairs.

"Don't say it," Emily begged.

"Sorry," JJ said. "Hotch wants us back at the BAU. He says it can't wait."

Emily placed a quick kiss on JJ's lips. "I'll get Henry ready to go while you change."

* * *

Morgan entered the conference room and sat down with the rest of his team. "Every time I think I'm free, I get pulled right back in."

"You and me both," Emily muttered.

Hotch entered the conference room with a manila envelope in his hand. "As you all know Nathaniel Simmons escaped from prison a few days ago."

Nathaniel Simmons had killed several law enforcement agents because of a grudge he held after being kicked out of the police academy. He had been caught several months ago and was scheduled for the death penalty in a few weeks. The BAU had been searching for him since he escaped but had gotten nowhere. His old friends hadn't been in contact with him and neither had his ex-wife or daughter. It was like the man had vanished. They had at least expected people to call in to let them know that they had seen the man somewhere but that didn't even happen. With nothing to work with the team could only wait for Simmons to make a wrong move.

"Has he killed someone?" Emily asked.

"No, but he's been busy." Hotch removed pictures from the envelope and spread them out on the table.

There were pictures of Morgan going for a run, Garcia entering the building where she counsels victims' families, JJ carrying Henry as she walked through a store holding Emily's hand, Hotch playing with Jack at the park with Hailey, Reid at a library and Rossi enjoying a drink at the bar.

Emily picked up the picture of her and JJ. "This is from yesterday."

Garcia looked at her picture. "Mine's from two days ago."

"So they weren't all taken at the same time," Morgan said. "He's been watching us since he got out?"

Rossi looked at his picture. "It appears so."

Reid looked at Hotch. "Is he coming after us?"

The team leader pulled a piece of paper out of the envelope and read it aloud. "You hunted me. Now I'm going to hunt you."

"There's a return address on the envelope," Garcia pointed out.

"His ex-wife's address," Hotch said.

"That's too easy," Rossi stated. "There's no way he'd go back there. He knows it's the first place we'd check."

"There's nothing we can do right now," Hotch said. "I just want everyone to be careful. No one goes anywhere alone." He looked at JJ and could tell that the woman's thoughts were working in overdrive. "Jay-Jay, Henry is safe. Nathaniel has never gone after anyone that wasn't in law enforcement. I understand your worry though. I'm sending Hailey and Jack to stay with Hailey's sister. You might want to keep Henry somewhere else too for awhile."

JJ nodded. She would be calling Will later.

"You're not to go home tonight either," Hotch informed. "I've already gotten hotel rooms for us. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I don't want to take any chances with this."

_Nothing like a psychopathic serial killer to ruin what would've been a perfect night. _JJ thought.

Emily exited the bathroom of the hotel room after her shower and looked at JJ who was lying on the bed looking deep in thought. She made her way over to her girlfriend and laid down beside her. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm just worried that Simmons will get to us before we can get to him," JJ said.

"Don't think like that," Emily wrapped her arms around JJ. "We'll get him. Did you call Will?"

The blonde nodded. "He's going to get Henry tomorrow morning. I tried to talk my parents into going on a vacation, but they weren't hearing it."

"Just as stubborn as you, huh?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, where do you think I got it from?" JJ turned around in the profiler's arms in order to look into her eyes. "Everything's going to be okay, right?"

"Everything's going to be just fine," Emily whispered. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be hectic." She placed a kiss on JJ's head as the blonde closed her eyes. She really didn't know if everything was going to be okay, but she had faith in her team. She knew that one way or another they would catch Nathaniel Simmons.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

JJ and Emily were with Garcia heading to Emily's condo. It had been three days since Simmons had sent them the pictures and he hadn't contacted them again. They still had no idea where he was but after much deliberation it was decided that they could go home. Garcia wasn't allowed to be alone though due to the fact that she didn't own a gun.

"You know, maybe this guy was just trying to get into our heads," Garcia said. "He could be in another state by now."

Emilly shook her head. "Simmons isn't a man who messes with people. He's killed six cops."

"But he hasn't killed any since he escaped," Garcia stated.

JJ turned her head to look at Garcia in the backseat. "That's because he's focused on us. But don't worry. We won't let anything happen to you."

Garcia smiled. "I know. I feel safe with you guys."

JJ returned the smile and turned back around. When Emily parked in front of the condo building, JJ had never been so happy to see the place in her life. "I can't wait to sleep in a bed that's not in a hotel room."

"I feel ya," Garcia said.

Emily sighed. "I haven't seen this place in awhile. I'm pretty sure the fridge is empty. I might need to go grocery shopping."

Garcia grinned. "Would that be due to the fact that you're always at the house of our favorite media liaison?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Emily exited the car.

The other two women followed suit and headed towards the building.

"You know, you two should just move in together," Garcia stated.

JJ looked at Emily to gauge the brunette's reaction to Garcia's words. She had thought about them moving in together, but wasn't sure how her girlfriend would feel about it.

"It's too soon for that, I think," Emily said, nonchalantly as she stepped onto the elevator. The truth was she would love nothing more than to live with JJ. She just didn't want to put the blonde in an awkward position if it wasn't something that she wanted just yet.

"Yeah," JJ agreed as to not leave room for awkward silence. "Too soon."

When they reached the door to her condo, Emily pulled out her gun.

"Really?" Garcia asked. "Is that necessary?"

"Better safe than sorry, right? JJ stay here with Garcia."

After making sure her condo was clear, Emily gestured for the other two to join her. "Garcia make yourself at home."

"I will. Thanks," Garcia said. "And you two can pretend like I'm not even here. So do whatever you want. I'll just be in the guest room with my iPod blasting." The blonde walked away, disappearing into the bedroom.

Emily laughed. "The last thing on my mind is sex." They had finished up with a case this morning and just wanted to rest.

"God, I know," JJ sighed. "That case was frustrating. And it didn't help that I kept thinking about how Nathaniel Simmons could be watching us. And I miss Henry."

"I hope our boy is doing all right," Emily said, offhandedly. When she realized what she had said, her eyes grew wide. "I mean your boy." The brunette gestured behind her. "I need to take a shower."

"Emily, wait," JJ said, but her girlfriend had already taken off. She followed her to the bedroom and knocked on the bathroom door. "Emily? Hun, it's fine. It was a slip of the tongue. And really, I thought it was sweet. Henry loves you and I know you love him just as much. You've always done a lot for him. Even when we were just friends. Honey, I know you want a child of your own and one day I'll give that to you. You'd make a great mother."

The door to the bathroom opened and Emily looked at JJ with a small smile. "Really? You'd have a kid with me one day?"

JJ smiled. "Yes. Besides, Henry will need a brother or sister to play with."

Emily pulled JJ into a hug. "Do you have any idea how happy you make me?"

"If it's anywhere near as how happy you make me, then yes." JJ kissed the brunette. "I love you."

"I love you too," Emily said.

JJ's phone went off and she sighed. "Of course my phone would ring now."

"No rest for the weary." Emily sat down on her bed.

JJ pulled the phone from her pocket and put it to her ear. "Agent Jareau… oh my god, is he going to be okay? …all right…we're on our way." JJ closed her phone and looked at Emily.

"What's wrong?" Emily stood up and placed a hand on JJ's shoulder.

"It's Reid. He's been shot."

* * *

JJ was sitting in the hospital with Emily, Garcia and Morgan. Hotch and Rossi were at Reid's house, the crime scene. Emily was talking to them now to find out what they knew.

After hanging up the phone, Emily approached them and sat down on the other side of JJ. She took the woman's hand into hers before speaking. "There was a witness, Reid's neighbor across the street. She was tending to her garden when she saw a red van pull up. She said a man dressed in a UPS uniform got out with a box in his hands. He knocked on Reid's door and shot him as soon as it opened. He had short black hair and was clean shaven."

"So he changed his hair color and shaved. No wonder people haven't been calling in about seeing him," Morgan said. "What else did they say?"

"When he got back into the van, he looked at Reid's neighbor and smiled. Told her to have a good day and drove off. She got his license plate number. Cops say that the vehicle was reported stolen a few days ago. Morgan and I have to go." Emily squeezed JJ's hand lightly. A silent apology for having to leave the woman alone. "He wants us to talk to Simmons' ex-wife again."

Morgan looked at Garcia and JJ. "Call us with an update when you get one."

Emily brought JJ's hand up to her lips and kissed it. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

JJ nodded and missed Emily's hand in hers as soon as the brunette stood up. "You guys be careful."

Emily nodded and left with Morgan.

"I can't believe this is happening," the blonde said.

"He'll be okay," Garcia placed her hand on top of JJ's. "I swear you all were given nine lives when you joined the BAU."

"We've been using those up pretty fast," JJ stated.

"Reid's strong," Garcia said.

"I know. I just hope they catch Simmons before he hurts anyone else."

* * *

A/N: I know this chapter isn't good. I'm trying to work through my writer's block.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Emily was sitting in Morgan's car as he drove them to Simmon's ex-wife's house. They didn't want to waste time driving to headquarters just to get the SUV they usually drove while working on a case.

Morgan was gripping the steering wheel tight as he kept his gaze steadfast on the road. "I hope we get this guy before he hurts another one of us."

"I doubt we'll sleep until we do," Emily stated. "One way or another we'll get him." The brunette looked through the side view mirror and turned to look at Morgan. "Hey, Morgan that truck has been behind us since we left the hospital."

"I've noticed." Morgan glanced in the rearview mirror at the blue truck that was two cars behind them. "I thought it was a coincidence. You think Simmons got himself another vehicle?"

"I'm thinking so. I'll call Hotch." Emily pulled her phone out and called her boss.

"Agent Hotchner."

"Hey, Hotch. We're pretty sure Simmons is tailing us."

Morgan looked at the truck again and saw him move over to the lane beside them and speed up. "He's coming at us." The man saw Simmons roll down his window and train a gun out of it. "Get down!"

Emily ducked her head as shots were fired at the car. She dropped her phone and pulled her own gun out of its holster. "Are you okay?"

"Grazed my arm, but I'm fine." More shots were fired at his car and he tried to keep the car steady as he ducked out of the way.

Before either agent knew it, Simmons was crashing the truck into their car to force them off the road.

The vehicles on the road were going crazy as they swerved out of the way or stopped completely to distance themselves from the chaos that had just begun.

* * *

"Prentiss?" Hotch said into the phone. "What's going on?" Hotch had heard Morgan yell and he heard the gun shots. He didn't want to think the worse. His agents were well-trained and capable of getting themselves out of whatever situation they were in.

JJ stood up and looked at Hotch. "What is it?"

Hotch lowered the phone from his ear and looked at JJ. "Emily said Simmons was tailing them and then I heard gun shots."

"Oh god," Garcia said from her seat. She hoped what she said about the team having nine lives would be proven today.

* * *

As the truck hit Morgan's car for the final time, it flipped over several times before it came to a stop, upside down in the middle of the road.

"Prentiss," Morgan said, groggily. When he didn't get an answer, he looked over at her and saw that she was unconscious. He turned his head to look out the window and saw Simmons exit his truck. The man raised his gun to shoot at the car, but when he heard police sirens, he went back to his car and took off.

Morgan undid his seatbelt and crawled out of the car through the window since the door was jammed. He quickly made his way over to Emily's side and got the brunette safely out of the car.

* * *

Hotch hung up his phone and turned to face JJ, Garcia and Rossi. "That was Morgan. They're pretty banged up, but they'll be fine."

JJ felt the tension leave her body at Hotch's words. She couldn't wait for the brunette to get here so she could see her and hear her voice.

A doctor approached the team with a clipboard in his hand. "Spencer Reid?"

"Yes?" they all said in unison.

As the doctor spoke all JJ heard were the words "He's going to be fine." That's all she needed to know. Spencer was like a brother to her and she was happy to hear the words that she had been dying to hear since she stepped into the hospital.

"He's going to need his rest. He won't be up for another few hours," the doctor said before walking away.

Garcia turned her head and saw Emily and Morgan headed their way on gurneys. "Hey, look," she told her team.

JJ wanted to run to Emily, but she waited for the gurneys to reach them.

Hotch flashed his badge to get the men to stop pushing his agents. "You two okay?"

"We're fine," Morgan said.

"They have concussions," a doctor said.

"Which translates to fine for them." Garcia smiled at Morgan. "They've had a lot worse."

"Yes, we definitely have," Morgan said.

JJ took Emily's hand into hers as she studied her face. The side of Emily's head had dry blood on it along with a bruise. "Try not to be too stubborn. Let the doctor take care of you."

"I'm not stubborn," Emily scowled. "How's Reid?"

"He's going to be fine," JJ said. She moved to Morgan and placed a hand on top of his, giving it a comforting squeeze.

Once they were wheeled away, Hotch looked at the others. "This guy has tried to kill three members of our team. We're pulling out all the stops. This ends today."

* * *

Hotch had received a call from the police that Simmons had evaded them during the chase. After finding out where he had last been seen in, he had Garcia look up areas around it to find anywhere Simmons might be able to hide.

Garcia had located an abandon warehouse and that was where the team was now.

As JJ put on her bulletproof vest, she looked at Emily and Morgan. "You two shouldn't be here."

"Did you think we would let you guys come here without us?" Morgan asked.

"Just try not to take any more hits to the head," JJ said.

Hotch approached them with Rossi. "You three ready?"

"Yeah, let's do this," Emily said.

The five agents headed towards the warehouse as the S.W.A.T. team waited outside. Upon entering the building, Hotch and Rossi went to the left while Emily, JJ and Morgan headed to the right. It was dim in the building, the only light coming through the few windows in the place. There were boxes scattered all over the floor and they knew that Simmons could easily pop out of one of them and start shooting.

The stayed close but were a few feet away from each other as they checked every box and corner.

Lingering in the shadows, Simmons saw his opportunity to capture Agent Prentiss and made his move as her back was turned to him. He quickly moved forward, putting his arm around her neck and his gun to her head.

"Drop your gun!" he yelled at Emily.

That caught JJ and Morgan's attention and they turned to face Simmons.

"Let her go," JJ said as she pointed her gun at him. She was a few feet away from them and could barely see either of their faces. She dared to take a step forward, but stopped when Simmons removed his gun from Emily and pointed it at her.

"Don't move," he warned. He then squeezed his arm tighter around Emily. "Drop your gun."

Emily did as she was told.

Morgan knew this was the worse position for them to be in. Simmons had backed up into a corner with Emily so there was no way Hotch or Rossi would be able to get a clean shot if they snuck up on him.

"It's over, Simmons," Morgan said. "Put down the gun and let her go."

"I won't stop until all of you are dead," Simmons said. "You had no right to lock me up. I had a wife and child to take care of."

"You killed six police officers," Morgan said. "You then attempted to kill three federal agents."

"Attempted?" Simmons frowned. "Agent Reid is dead. I shot him in the chest."

JJ shook her head. "He's alive."

Simmons was fuming. "Well I won't make that mistake again."

Everything happened so fast after that. JJ barely had time to register what had happened. She had seen Simmons moving his gun to Emily's head and she had fired before he had a chance to.

Emily picked her gun up from the floor along with Simmons' before walking over to JJ. "Hey, are you okay?" the woman was visibly shaken.

JJ looked at Emily with wide eyes. "I could've missed. I could barely see. I reacted without thinking. I could've hit you."

Emily placed a hand on JJ's shoulder. "Jay-Jay, you didn't miss though. You got him right between the eyes. Not only did you save my life, but you reestablished the fact that you are the best shot on this team."

JJ put her gun away and wrapped her arms around Emily. "I still shouldn't have taken the shot without being one hundred percent sure I'd make it."

Hotch and Rossi had shown up seconds ago and had found out what happened from Morgan as the other two agents talked.

Hotch overheard the conversation and approached them. "Agent Jareau."

At hearing her name, JJ pulled away from her girlfriend to look at Hotch.

"Emily would've been killed by Simmons if you hadn't of taken the shot. And I believe that you wouldn't have taken it unless you knew you'd make it, which you did quite impressively," he added with a small smile. "Why don't you all head to the hospital. Rossi and I will take care of things here."

Garcia had been staying with Reid who had woken up sooner than the doctor thought he would. She was talking to him when JJ, Emily and Morgan walked into the room.

"Hey, look who's up," JJ smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Not bad considering I've shot in the chest," Reid said, weakly. He looked at Emily and Morgan. "You two been having fun without me?" he joked.

Morgan laughed and touched the bandage on his arm. "I wouldn't call it fun."

"Did you get him?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah," Emily smiled and looked proudly at JJ. "Jay-Jay took care of it."

"You guys should've seen her," Morgan said. He went into the story of how JJ saved Emily.

"You guys," JJ said, sheepishly. "I did what I had to do. Any of you would've done the same."

"I don't know," Morgan said. "My aim isn't as on point as yours."

Spencer smiled at the woman he saw as his sister. "I guess we should spread the word to future unsubs letting them know not to mess with Jay-Jay's girlfriend."

Everyone laughed and continued with light conversation. They were glad they had made it to see another day.

* * *

A/N: "not important": Thanks for the suggestion. I put a spin on it. I wanted JJ to save Emily. But you helped so thanks.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

Two days had passed and JJ was sitting on her bed with Emily and Henry. The boy was playing with one of his quieter toys as the two women just laid in bed silently watching him. Hotch had managed to get the team a week off and they all hoped no cases would come their way in that duration.

A big smile spread across JJ's face and Emily arched an eyebrow. "What are you smiling about?"

"I like relaxing at home with my girlfriend and my son," JJ said. "I wish we had more moments like these."

"We can," Emily said.

"Yeah, and how's that going to happen with us working at much as we do?" JJ asked.

Emily bit her lower lip as she thought about how she was going to form her next sentence. "Well, I know you agreed that it was too soon but um…we could…I'd like for us to, um… live together. I can rent out my condo and move in here with you. You can have as much time as you want to think about that. I will totally understand if you don't want to do that."

JJ sat up on the bed. "Are you serious?"

Emily nodded.

"Emily moving in together would make me extremely happy. I had been thinking about it for awhile now. When you told Garcia that it was too soon, I decided not to bring it up."

Emily smiled. "I only said that because I thought it was what you wanted to hear."

"You were wrong," JJ smirked. "I definitely didn't like hearing that."

"So it's settled? I'll move here?"

"We can start tomorrow while we still have the week off."

"That's works for me," Emily said.

JJ picked up Henry. "Did you hear that sweetheart? Emily's going to be living with us."

Henry squealed happily as his mother talked to him in her playful voice. JJ looked at Emily. "I'm going to put him down for his nap so we can have some alone time."

Emily smiled, knowing what that meant and nodded. "I'll be here."

JJ left the room with Henry and Emily smiled to herself. She couldn't wait to be living with JJ. Her life definitely kept getting better and better.

* * *

The next day had been devoted to moving whatever Emily wanted to JJ's house. They had enlisted the help of Morgan, Hotch and Haley. Garcia was watching Henry and Jack for them. Reid was at home enjoying his book collection while he recovered from being shot. They had offered to go get him but he insisted he was fine at home.

JJ stopped Haley as she entered the house with a lamp. "That's hideous."

Haley laughed. "It's…unique."

"No, it's hideous," JJ repeated in a whisper. She looked behind Haley and saw Emily talking to Hotch and Morgan. "This is definitely going in the basement." The blonde took the lamp. "Thanks again for helping with this."

"I'm glad to help," Haley said. "I'm happy for you and Emily."

JJ smiled. "Thank you. She's really great." She noticed that Emily was heading towards the house. "I'm gonna get rid of this before Emily sees me," she said before walking off.

Haley laughed and turned around as Emily walked into the house. "Hey, was that it?"

"Yeah, there's nothing else." Emily looked around the house at the boxes surrounding the foyer. "I have a long day ahead of me," she sighed.

"Are you sure you guys don't need help putting things away?" Haley didn't mind helping. She enjoyed spending time with the team.

"Yeah, we're probably not going to get to it until later. We're treating you guys to a late lunch for helping."

"Aw, that's sweet, but you don't have to," Haley assured the brunette.

"We want to," Emily smiled.

JJ returned from the basement and moved so that she was standing by Emily's side. She put an arm around her girlfriend's waist and rested her head on her shoulder. "Please tell me there's nothing more."

"This is it," Emily grinned. "And we still have to put everything away later. Get excited."

"Oh yay," JJ said, sarcastically but with a smile on her face.

Morgan and Hotch entered the house.

"So what's the plan?" Morgan asked.

"We're meeting Garcia for lunch," JJ said.

"Okay, let's head out," Morgan said.

"Yeah, I'm starving," Hotch took Haley's hand into his and they headed outside with Morgan.

JJ leaned over and kissed Emily on the cheek. "I love you."

Emily smiled. "I love you too."

"I'm excited you're almost officially moved in. It should be a smooth transition. You've barely been home since we started dating."

"True enough," Emily kissed JJ. "Come on. We have hungry mouths to feed."

* * *

That night, JJ exited her bathroom in shorts and a t-shirt after a shower. "I needed that. I'm exhausted." She collapsed onto the bed beside her girlfriend.

Emily stopped playing with her new phone and grinned at JJ. "How exhausted are you?"

JJ smiled. "I think I have some energy reserved for what you're thinking."

Emily set her phone down on the bed and moved so that she was on top of JJ. She bent her head and began to kiss the woman.

* * *

Garcia heard her phone ring and she looked at the caller ID before answering. "Hey Em." Garcia didn't get a response, but she did hear muffled panting. "Emily?" She heard a groan and became worried. "Are you okay?" The blonde's imagination went to work. "Are you running from someone? Where's Jay-Jay?" The next sound she heard surprised her.

"Oh god, Emily," she heard JJ say. "Don't stop."

Garcia quickly hung up the phone and began to laugh. She was definitely bringing this up the next time she saw her friends.

* * *

"Ow, hold on," Jay-Jay pushed Emily away from her. "I'm laying on something." She sat up and pulled Emily's new phone from her under her back. She set it on the nightstand and pulled the brunette back down on top of her.

* * *

After their lovemaking, JJ and Emily laid in bed cuddled up together. Emily placed a kiss on JJ's forehead.

"I never thought I'd be this happy."

JJ kissed Emily along her jaw. "You deserve to be happy," she muttered against the brunette's soft skin.

"I guess," Emily said. "I just never expected it to happen."

"Your mom told me I'm your first real relationship," JJ said.

"You talked to my mom about my personal life?" Emily smirked.

"She brought it up during her lecture to me," JJ said. "I'm glad I was able to win you over."

"You won me over the day I made some horrible geeky joke and you laughed," Emily said.

JJ smiled at the memory. "You were being cute."

"I was embarrassing myself."

"In a cute way."

"I love that I can be myself around you." Emily placed another kiss on JJ's forehead.

"I'm glad you feel you can be," JJ said. "You know I love everything about you."

"Yeah, I'm pretty awesome aren't I?" Emily joked.

JJ smiled. "Yeah you are," she said, sincerely.

"Oh, I forgot to ask. Have you seen my lamp?" Emily asked. "I could've sworn I packed it."

"I can't remember," JJ played dumb. "It's probably around the house somewhere." She placed a kiss on the woman's cheek. "But aren't there more important things we could be doing than talking about a lamp?"

"You're insatiable." Emily pulled JJ on top of her.

"Have you seen you?" JJ asked, huskily. "You're incredibly sexy. I can't help myself."

Emily grinned and leaned up to capture JJ's lips with her own. With any luck they would at least manage to get three hours of sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

A few months later…

JJ was thanking everyone for coming over for Henry's first birthday party. It had been a good turnout. Even Will had shown up because he didn't want to miss his son's party. Things had been slightly awkward for Emily with Will around due to the fact that JJ had broken up with him because of the feelings she harbored for her. She had thought things were going well until she started getting the cold shoulder from JJ. When she had pulled the woman aside to find out why she was upset with her, she learned that JJ didn't like Emily's possessive and territorial actions she exhibited whenever Will was near.

Emily was now a few feet away from the front door trying to convince Garcia not to leave.

"Please," Emily begged in a whisper. "She won't yell at me with you here. You can spend the night."

"Not happening, sugar plum," Garcia said. "You'll have to face her at some point."

The brunette sighed. "I'm in so much trouble."

"You'll be fine… maybe," Garcia said. "I better go. I'll see you on Monday."

Emily watched her friend leave. Garcia had been her last hope. Henry had already fallen asleep and was upstairs in his crib.

JJ closed the front door and turned to face Emily. "I cannot believe you."

_And it begins. _Emily thought.

"How could you act like that the entire night?" JJ asked.

"I didn't realize I was doing it," Emily said.

JJ rolled her eyes as she folded her arms across her chest. "You didn't realize that whenever Will came near me you made it a point to wrap your arm around my waist or over my shoulders? You even kissed me a few times before walking away to mark your territory."

Emily looked down at the floor like a child in trouble. "Maybe I kinda realized I was doing it."

"Emily, Will knows that I'm with you. He knows that I love you. You had no reason to be so territorial just to hurt him."

The profiler looked up to meet JJ's blue eyes. "I wasn't trying to hurt him." The older woman shrugged. "I just felt the need to be a little more affectionate than I usually am when people are present."

The media liaison shook her head. "You were trying to prove a point. That I'm yours. Well like I said, he knows that. He's happy that I'm happy. You didn't have to prove anything."

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a little bit?" Emily asked.

JJ walked past the woman without a word as she headed upstairs.

Emily sighed and followed after her. "I'm sorry." Just as she reached the door it was slammed in her face. She tried to open it but wasn't surprised when she found that it was locked. "Jay-Jay, come on. I'm not sleeping in the guest room." She waited for the door to be opened, but that didn't happen. "Can I at least get something to sleep in?"

After a few seconds, the door was opened and a shirt and shorts were tossed at Emily before the door slammed shut.

The profiler removed the shirt hanging from her head and bent down to pick up the shorts at her feet. "Thanks," she muttered before heading down the hallway to the guest room.

* * *

Emily was lying in the bed thinking about how upset JJ was with her. She knew the woman had every right to be. She had only acted the way she did because she felt threatened by Will. She didn't want to lose JJ so she had become possessive. Still not wanting to sleep in the guest room, Emily stood up and made her way back to the room she shared with JJ. She tried the door knob and smiled when it turned in her hand. She pushed the door open slowly and made her way towards the bed.

"Jay-Jay are you awake?" When she didn't get an answer, the brunette crawled onto the bed and got under the sheets. She cautiously put an arm around JJ and closed her eyes to go to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Emily woke up to an empty bed. She could hear Henry laughing and carrying on with JJ downstairs. Not wanting to face the woman again just yet, Emily pulled JJ's pillow closer to her and cuddle into it as she fell back asleep.

A few minutes later, JJ entered the bedroom with Henry in her arms. When the boy saw Emily lying on the bed he smiled and began to bounce around in his mother's arms.

"Em!" Henry exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's Em," JJ smiled at her son. "Wanna wake her up?" She placed Henry on the bed and he crawled over to the sleeping woman.

Emily opened her eyes when she felt small fingers poking her on the face. "Hey you," she smiled.

Henry crawled under the sheets with her and laid down. He then took the sheets and pulled them over his head. After a second or two, he pulled it back down and laughed.

"You're in a playful mood aren't ya, buddy?" Emily laughed. She looked up at her girlfriend. "Can we talk?"

JJ nodded her response and Emily moved so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed. She placed Henry on her lap and looked at JJ.

"I felt threatened with Will around," Emily admitted.

"What was there to be threatened of?" JJ asked. "You know I have no feelings for him."

"I know, I know," Emily said. "It's just that. Everything's been going so well for us and if anything ever goes that well for me something bad is usually waiting to happen. I got scared that maybe I could lose you. Will is Henry's father and you two share a connection."

JJ knelt down in front of Emily, brushing a strand of hair from the brunette's face. "Yes, Will is Henry's father. He'll always be in my life. But you are the love of my life. I've never felt for Will what I feel for you, Emily. You need to trust that I'm not going anywhere. I know you have your insecurities. I have them too. Me leaving you shouldn't be one of them though. You're perfect for me, Emily Prentiss. I could never want anyone else. I love you."

Emily smiled. "I love you too."

Henry babbled something that sounded like his version of 'love you" and Emily and JJ laughed.

"We love you too, Henry." JJ kissed her son before taking him away from Emily. "Come on, hun. Let's go make Emily some breakfast."

The brunette smiled. "Thanks babe. I'll be down after a shower."

* * *

After breakfast, Garcia had called JJ because she wanted to go to the mall. Emily had turned down the invitation and said that she and Henry would bond instead.

The profiler and the baby had spent an hour in the living room going through baby books but Henry had become fussy and Emily couldn't figure out what was wrong with him.

Emily was rubbing Henry's back as she paced the living room. "Okay, you're not hungry, your diaper is dry, you don't have a fever and you refuse to go to sleep. What's wrong, Henry?" The boy continued to cry and Emily started getting worried. She suddenly remembered that the boy was teething and hurried upstairs to the bathroom to get his teething medicine. She then went back downstairs to retrieve his teething ring from the freezer. "Okay, there you go," she held it to his mouth and he clamped his mouth over it. His piercing cries turned into little sniffles and Emily let out a relieved breath as she headed back into the living room. "There you go. You're okay."

Henry eventually fell asleep in Emily's arms and she brought him upstairs to his crib. As she was leaving his room, she heard the front door slam shut and JJ called out for her. She rushed downstairs to the woman and placed a finger over her lips. "Henry's finally asleep and I'd hate for him to wake up."

JJ frowned. "Was he that bad?"

"No, he's just teething and it made him really fussy," Emily explained. "He's fine now. I gave him his medicine."

"Sweetie you should've called me. I would've come home."

"I know, but you haven't gone out with Garcia in awhile and I wanted you to enjoy yourself," Emily said.

JJ smiled. "You are the sweetest." She kissed the woman. "Here take these," she handed Emily her shopping bags. "I'm gonna look in on Henry and I'll meet you in the bedroom."

Emily obediently took the bags and headed upstairs. She placed the bags on the floor and sat down on the edge of the bed to wait for JJ.

JJ entered the room after a few seconds and pulled a shirt out of one of the bags. She held it up for Emily to see. "What do you think?"

"It's nice," Emily said. "I like it."

"Good, it's for you." JJ folded it and put it back in the bag.

Emily noticed the Victoria's Secret bag and smiled. "What's in that bag," she pointed to it.

"That's for last," JJ smirked.

Emily spent the next couple of minutes telling JJ what she thought of all the things she bought. She was starting to think the woman had bought everything in the mall.

"And finally," JJ reached into the Victoria's Secret bag and pulled out a black see-through chemise. She held it up to her body with a smirk on her face. "Like it?"

"Very much." Emily licked her lips. "You should try it on."

"I don't know. It's supposed to be for when you're well-behaved."

"I've been well-behaved," Emily said.

JJ shook her head. "Not yesterday."

_Damn it. _Emily thought. "But I'm really sorry about that whole thing. You should really try that on."

JJ folded the chemise and put it back in the bag. "Maybe later."

Emily pouted. "You're an evil woman."

"I know." JJ held out her hand to Emily.

Emily took it and JJ pulled her up from the bed. "You're really not going to try it on?"

The blonde shook her head and bent down to get something out of one of the bags she had passed over earlier. She held up a bottle of massage oil. "Henry's naps don't last more than an hour and a half. I'm going to need longer than that for what I have planned for you. Tonight I'm all yours."

The profiler felt a familiar ache between her legs and groaned. "I can't wait that long."

"You're going to have to." JJ tossed the bottle on the bed and left the room, swaying her hips sensually as she walked out.

Emily smirked and let out a small laugh. She was definitely a lucky woman.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Garcia walked into the BAU and stopped at Emily's desk. The brunette looked up and smiled at her friend. "Morning, Garcia."

Garcia grinned mischievously. "Well aren't you glowing. Did you enjoy Jay-Jay's little gift to you?" The tech analyst smiled triumphantly when the brunette began to blush.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Emily said, nonchalantly.

"Sure you don't," Garcia laughed. "Well, I'm just glad that you didn't have your phone near you this time around."

Emily's blush became deeper and she rolled her eyes. "Are you ever going to let us live that down?"

The blonde shook her head. "Nope. It's a story that I will bring up time and time again."

JJ left her office and approached Garcia and Emily. She noticed the blush in her girlfriend's cheeks. "Garcia are you giving Agent Prentiss a hard time?" She asked in a professional tone, but there was a smirk on her face.

"Yes, because it's so easy to make her blush. Look at that," Garcia poked Emily's cheek.

Emily swatted the woman's hand away. "You're about to become my least favorite person."

JJ laughed. "You girls play nice."

Morgan and Reid entered the BAU and greeted the women.

"What's going on over here?" Morgan asked.

"We're talking about how easy it is to make Emily blush," Garcia said.

"No we're not," Emily rolled her eyes.

Morgan saw Hotch and Rossi approaching them and decided to bring up something before they all got too busy. "You all up for a soccer game this weekend?"

JJ perked up at hearing the word soccer. "Like watching it?"

Morgan shook his head. "Playing it. I think it'd be fun."

JJ smiled big. It had been years since she played the sport and she would be lying if she said she didn't miss it. "I'm in."

"I'm not big on sports," Emily said. "I'm not good at them at all."

"Neither am I," Reid said. "I always got chosen last."

"Oh come on, guys," Morgan said. "It'll be good times. A little friendly competition."

"Fine. I call dibs on JJ," Emily smirked.

"I'm on their team," Garcia quickly added.

Morgan looked at Garcia. "You're gonna do me like that baby girl?"

"Sorry, but I'm playing with the pro," Garcia said.

"Prentiss you can't be on Jay-Jay's team," Morgan said. "You're dating her."

"So?"

"So she's on my team," Morgan said.

"Nope. My girlfriend, my team."

"Girls against boys?" Reid asked.

Rossi shook his head. "We should pick names out of a hat or something."

"That'll make it easier," Hotch agreed.

Morgan looked at his boss. "Think you can recruit Haley?"

"Yeah, she loves sports."

"Great, that's eight people," JJ said, excitedly.

Emily smiled at the media liaison. She was happy to see JJ so excited about being able to play soccer again. She knew the woman missed it and she couldn't wait to see her in action.

"Okay, after work we meet up in the conference room to pull the names of our teammates," Morgan said. "Don't be late."

"This is exciting." Garcia clapped her hands together. "I'm going to go think of team names."

Everyone laughed and went about their day. They were all looking forward to Saturday. They rarely hung out much outside of work, but whenever they did it was always a good and memorable time.

* * *

After work everyone met up in the conference room as planned. Rossi has a coffee mug with the names written on small pieces of paper inside of it.

"So how are we going to do this?" Reid asked.

"Well since Morgan and Prentiss have been acting like they're team captains, they should pick first," Hotch said. The two profilers had been arguing all day over who would get JJ on their team and the man thought it would be interesting to see which one of them would pull the media liaison's name.

Rossi stood up from his chair and walked to the head of the table. Morgan and Emily stood on either side of the man.

"Ladies first," Morgan grinned.

"Oh, now you want to be nice to me," Emily said as she reached into the mug that Rossi was holding. She pulled out a piece of folded paper and hoped that it was JJ. She unfolded it and smirked. "Reid." She showed everyone the name on the paper. "Geeks unite."

Reid smiled, happy to have been chosen first.

Morgan took a name out of the cup next. "Garcia."

Garcia raised her arms over her head. "Yes!"

"Oh, don't act like you really want to be on my team," Morgan said.

Garcia pouted. "I wasn't in my right mind earlier. You know I want to be with my super fox."

The next name Emily pulled was Haley and then Morgan pulled Rossi.

"That leaves Hotch and Jay-Jay," Garcia said. "This is gonna be intense."

Emily took a piece of paper out of the mug and held her breath as she unfolded it. "…Hotch," she said, dejectedly.

"Hey," Hotch said. "I'm your boss. Don't sound so disappointed."

Morgan had the biggest smile on his face as he pulled the last name out of the mug already knowing it would say JJ. He opened it up and showed it to the room. "That's right, Prentiss. I've got her on my team."

"I hate you," Emily pouted.

JJ had been watching silently, amused by how the two adults were acting. "It's okay, Em. I'll try to go easy on you," she winked.

"Liar." Emily couldn't help but smile.

"I'll practice with you," JJ promised.

"Our only hope for this team is Haley," Reid stated.

"Hey, I'm good at sports too," Hotch said. "

"Okay, you guys choose a team name by Thursday," Garcia said to the opposing team. "I want to make shirts."

"Oh gosh," Emily sighed.

"And choose a color," Garcia added.

"Blue," Emily said.

"And we'll be red," Morgan added. "Saturday can't come soon enough. We're going to run circles around you guys."

"Whatever Morgan," Emily said. "I'm going to make sure you eat your words."

"Play nice," Garcia said.

"He started it," Emily muttered.

"Let's get out of here," Rossi said. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

Everyone headed out of the BAU and to their respective cars.

Emily settled in the passenger seat and looked at her girlfriend. "You'll teach me all the rules right?"

JJ smiled. "Yes, baby I will. Like I said, we'll practice together."

"We won't have time though," Emily pouted. "I don't want to lose."

The blonde laughed. "We'll find time. When we get home, I'll show you some of my moves."

The profiler grinned.

JJ rolled her eyes. "Don't be perverted. I'm talking about my soccer moves."

"I'll be too tired though," Emily said.

"Suck it up," JJ said. "This is going to be fun."

"So I keep hearing," Emily sighed. _Why did I agree to this? _

_

* * *

_A/N: This will probably be ending soon. I don't know what else to do with it. Thanks for all the feedback. _  
_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Saturday…

"Definitely wouldn't mind waking up like that every morning," Emily breathed out as JJ rolled off her. The brunette had been sleeping when her girlfriend had decided to wake her up in a pleasurable manner. "Way better than an alarm."

JJ laughed and moved back on top of the brunette to place a quick kiss on her lips. "I have so much energy. I needed to do something with it."

Emily moved a strand of hair out of JJ's face. "Well feel free to offload your energy on me any day. But you know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were trying to wear me out before the game."

"Now why would I be that devious?" JJ smirked as she got out of bed and made her way over to the bathroom.

"Because you want to win."

"Hey," JJ pointed at the woman. "I don't need to cheat to win. Now would you like to join me in the shower before Henry wakes up?"

The profiler looked at the woman suspiciously. "I shouldn't."

"It'll be an enjoyable shower, but if you don't want to that's okay." JJ entered the bathroom and closed the door.

The brunette stayed in bed for awhile before quickly getting up to join her girlfriend.

* * *

JJ and Emily were sitting on a bench with Mr. and Mrs. Jareau while Henry sat on a blanket playing with a truck. The rest of the team hadn't shown up yet so they were just enjoying casual conversation.

"Jay-Jay, honey, do you remember Carol's daughter?" Mrs. Jareau asked.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, what about her?"

"She just got married to her girlfriend," the woman said. "And you know she's younger than you."

JJ had to stop herself from letting out a groan. She knew her mother wanted her to settle down and have more kids with Emily. She guessed she couldn't complain. At least the woman loved her girlfriend. "Mom not now."

"What?" Mrs. Jareau feigned innocence. "Don't you want to get married?"

"Someday, yeah."

"What about you?" She looked at Emily.

"So Emily." Mr. Jareau decided to change the topic for the sake of his daughter and Emily. "Are you sure you can handle Jay-Jay on the field?"

The brunette was grateful for the save. "Pft, yeah. She's older now. I'm sure she's lost some of what she had in college."

JJ laughed. "Oh you think so huh? We'll see if your tune changes when you're sleeping on the couch."

Emily pouted. "Now why do you have to go there?"

JJ stuck her tongue out at the brunette. She looked down at her son and rustled his hair. "Henry do you hear Em being mean to your mommy?"

"Em!" Henry exclaimed happily as he continued to play with his truck.

Mr. Jareau laughed. "I think that's one of his favorite words."

Emily gestured to Reid who was walking towards them. "Here comes Reid."

Reid furrowed his brows at JJ's red shirt. It had the letters B.A.U. printed in black on the front. "B.A.U? That's not original."

JJ smiled as she stood up and turned around. She moved her ponytail out of the way so that Reid could read the words on the back of the shirt.

"Bad ass unit. Clever," Reid said.

"Hey, not in front of Henry," Emily chided.

Reid made an apologetic face. "Sorry."

JJ smiled at Emily's words. She loved when the woman became motherly like that with Henry. "And here come the others."

The rest of the team approached them and Garcia clapped her hands together excitedly. "You guys look so cute in your shirts."

Morgan smiled. "Yeah, and I gotta say I like the name you guys came up with."

"Yeah," Rossi agreed. "Head profilers in charge has a nice ring to it."

"Our honorary profiler came up with it," Hotch put an arm around Haley.

Haley smiled. "It was the only thing I could think of." She then smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Jareau. "Hi, I don't believe we've met before."

JJ introduced them and they engaged in small talk for awhile before they decided to start playing. Jack sat down next to Henry on the blanket and the two ignored everything around them as they played together under the watchful eye of JJ's parents.

The soccer ball flew past Rossi and through the orange cones that had been set up as the goal.

"Nice!" Emily high-fived Reid who had just scored them their second point. "You're like our secret weapon."

"It's really just mathematics," Reid began.

"Okay, that's great." Emily patted the man on the back. "Just keep doing what you're doing."

"I believe that brings us to a tie. Two to Two," Haley stated. "Next point wins this entire game."

They had played four games of soccer so far. The first team to score three points won and the best of five would win the whole game and have bragging rights. Surprisingly, Emily's team was holding their own and had managed to win two games so far.

Morgan smirked at Emily. "You're close to victory but you're definitely not going to beat us. We're bad ass, Princess. That means no one can touch us."

Emily rolled her eyes and looked at Garcia. "Can you gag him?"

"Sorry, hun I can't control him," Garcia said. "But trust me if I could we probably wouldn't even be here right now," she winked.

"Hey, get your head out of the gutter," Morgan smirked. "Let's finish this."

Five minutes into the game the soccer ball went flying past Hotch signifying that Morgan's team had won. JJ had won them the game and was now doing the cutest victory dance Emily had ever seen.

JJ looked at her girlfriend. "So Emily what was that you were saying about being able to handle me?"

Emily smiled. "I did pretty well for someone who's never played soccer before."

"That's very true," JJ said. "But you still didn't win."

"That's right," Morgan said. "The head profilers in charge are definitely not in charge."

"I think I could really get into this sport," Garcia said.

Haley laughed at the woman. "You spent most of the time checking out Morgan."

"I was feeding him my positive energy. It helped us win the game."

"Well I don't know about all of you," Hotch began. "But I've worked up an appetite."

JJ heard her name being called and when she turned her head she saw her mom holding up her cell phone. "Damn."

"No, don't think like that," Emily said knowing what the woman was worried about. "It could be a wrong number."

"Please let it be a wrong number," Garcia muttered.

JJ ran towards her parents and took the phone. Everyone watched the woman in anticipation as she spoke with whoever had called. After a few seconds, the media liaison approached them with a solemn look on her face. "Sorry guys. We have a case."

* * *

A/N: Cernie- Thanks for your input. I'll let this carry on for a few more chapters to make that happen.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

The team was on their jet going over the case they had been called to handle in Texas. They were all dressed professionally once again and their faces were serious as they went over the case file. Someone was kidnapping and killing brunette women with brown eyes.

Morgan looked up from the file. "Okay so our unsub is targeting brown-eyed brunette women. That's the only thing these women have in common so far. Ages range from late twenties to early forties. There are no signs of sexual assault. They were kidnapped and held for two days before they were found dead."

Emily let out a sigh. "Four dead women. I can't believe we're just now being called about this."

"They thought they were isolated murders," JJ said. "The first victim, Alice Hall, was beaten to death. The second, Cory Walker, was stabbed to death. The next two victims, Lindsay Carter and Vicki Barnes were found with signs of torture and the cause of death was strangulation."

Reid looked up at the members of his team. "He was trying to find what he liked and it seems torture and strangulation is it."

"Alice Hall went missing Monday night and was found dead the following Monday morning. Cory had gone missing the Sunday night before Alice was found. And again she was found the following Monday," Hotch said.

"And it continues that way for all the women," Rossi said.

"A woman goes missing before one is found dead," Emily stated. "He doesn't kill his victims until he has a replacement."

"So we have a day before he kidnaps someone else and kills Lynn Bryant," Morgan said.

Lynn Bryant was their current victim who had been missing for almost a week.

"Jay-Jay and Reid after we're done at the station you can visit the families of Alice Hall and Cory Walker. Emily and Morgan you can talk to Lindsay Carter and Vicki Barnes' family. We need to find out what else these women had in common."

* * *

Later that night, Emily and JJ entered their hotel room after what felt like hours of talking to friends, family and co-workers. So far they had found out that all women had successful careers. Their current missing person was a businesswoman.

Emily kicked off her shoes and immediately collapsed into bed. "I have a feeling this is going to be one of those emotionally draining cases. After talking to Lindsay's Carter's mother, I felt bad for needing to leave. That was her only daughter. Her husband died a few months ago and now she has no one."

"I know how you feel." JJ climbed into the bed and put an arm around her girlfriend. "Cory Walker had been having a hard time these past couple of years and her parents said that she finally got her life together and had just started working at her dream job. She was starting a new life and now it's over. All the women were doing so well for themselves."

"I just hope we catch this guy soon," Emily said.

"Emily," JJ began.

"Hm?"

"Can you be extra careful on this case, please?" JJ asked.

Emily turned so that she was looking in JJ's eyes. "I promise. But you know I can take care of myself, right?"

"I know. I just worry," JJ said.

"Understandable." Emily placed a kiss on the woman's forehead. "Let's get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be just as exhausting as today was."

"I'm gonna take my shower now instead of in the morning," JJ said. "Sweet dreams, babe."

"Only if they're of you," Emily mumbled tiredly. "Preferably you in your soccer outfit."

JJ laughed. "You know, I think I still have my uniform from when I was in college."

"You're going to have to find it when we get back home," Emily smirked. "You were definitely looking sexy on the field today."

"Even if I kicked your ass?" JJ had to rub it in.

"You only slightly kicked my ass," Emily said. "Go take your shower. I love you."

"I love you too." JJ got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.

Emily let thoughts of JJ fill her mind as she laid in bed trying to fall asleep. The sound of the shower running eventually lulled her to sleep.

* * *

The team was sitting in the police station going over the case again to try and make some connections.

Reid furrowed his brows as he thought about something. "None of these women had a man in their life. Lynn Bryant has a girlfriend and everyone else was single."

"What are you thinking?" JJ asked.

"They're doing well for themselves and they don't have a man in their life," Reid stated. "The unsub probably feels that these women think they're better than him. He probably doesn't have a career. Maybe a minimum wage job."

"How would he know about where these women work and their dating life?" Emily asked. "Do you think he knows them personally?"

"That's a possibility," Rossi said. "And the specific taste he has in women probably has to do with an ex-girlfriend or maybe an ex-wife. If he wasn't making enough money or she wasn't impressed by his job, then she could've left him because of it."

"Possible stressor," Emily said.

"Let's get a working profile out there," Hotch said.

"I'll prepare a press conference," JJ said as she stood up.

"After we're done at the station we'll need to talk to the families of the victims again. Get a list of the men in their lives and do a cross reference." Hotch said.

* * *

After talking to the victims' families, the agents still had nothing. It didn't appear that they knew the same people. Hotch asked Garcia to cross reference any payments the victims might've made to the same restaurant, gym or anything a long those lines and was now waiting for her to call him back.

Hotch was standing in the police station talking with one of the officers when his phone rang. He quickly answered it. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes, my liege," Garcia said. "All women made a payment to the same plumbing company and my bet is that they all had the same plumber." Garcia told him the name of the plumbing company along with an address.

"Good work, Garcia," Hotch said before hanging up.

Calls were made to the family members to find out if they had any idea who the plumber was who worked on the house of the victims. Lynn Bryant's girlfriend, Shannon was the only one able to tell them that the plumber was Nicholas Hines. She said that the man had asked her and Lynn questions during friendly conversation, which is how he knew about Lynn's job. She didn't have any idea how he would've guessed they were dating though. The team surmised that Nicholas Hines probably stalked his victims for a period of time before kidnapping them.

* * *

Hotch and Rossi pulled up to the building of the company that Hines worked at. There was a man standing outside smoking a cigarette. The agents exited the SUV and approached the man.

"Nicholas Hines?" Hotch asked.

The man shook his head. "Mark Johnson. Nick's out doing a job right now. What can I help you with?"

Hotch flashed his badge. "I'm agent Hotchner and this is agent Rossi. What's the address of the house that Hines is at?"

"I can get you the address inside." The man put out his cigarette and headed inside the building.

Once Hotch got the address he stepped outside to call Morgan while Rossi stayed inside talking to Mark.

"What can you tell me about Hines? Is he married?"

"No, he's divorced," Mark said.

"Is that recent?" Rossi asked.

Mark nodded. "It happened a few months ago. He's been dealing with it fine though. What's this about?"

"We just want to talk to him," Rossi said. "Do you know what caused the divorce?"

"Yeah, Angela, that's his wife, thought Nick wasn't doing much with his life and said she'd do better on her own. She took their son and left. He hasn't said anything about her since."

"Okay, thank you," Rossi said before heading outside to find Hotch. He saw that the man was just getting off his phone. "What's the plan?"

"I sent Jay-Jay and Reid to Hines' house to look for Lynn Bryant and we're meeting the others at Gina Garret's house to get Hines."

* * *

The police were positioned outside and Morgan, Hotch, Rossi and Emily were preparing to go inside. They knew Hines was there since the company's truck was parked in front of the house.

Emily rang the doorbell and waited for Gina Garret to open the door. A blonde woman opened the door and her eyes widened when she saw the FBI and police.

Emily brought her finger up to her lips to silence the woman before gesturing for her to come outside. Gina walked out without saying a word.

"Where is he?" Emily whispered.

"The kitchen," the woman said quietly.

"Is anyone besides him inside?"

The woman shook her head and an officer walked her away from the house and the team entered.

Upon locating and entering the kitchen, they found Hines standing in front of the sink with his back turned to them.

"I think I got it working now," the man turned his head and saw the FBI standing before him. By instinct, he started looking for a way to run but he was stuck.

"Don't even try it," Morgan said as he pointed his gun at the man.

"I didn't do anything," Nicholas said.

Rossi put his gun away and approached the man to arrest him.

Emily didn't miss the sneer that crossed Hines' face when he walked past her. Pulling out her phone, she called JJ to see if she and Reid had found Lynn.

"We've searched this house up and down. There's no one here," JJ said as soon as she answered the phone. "But this is definitely where the victims were brought."

"Okay, we've got him. We'll see if we can get him to talk." Emily looked at Hotch. "They can't find Lynn."

Hotch went outside to where Rossi had taken the unsub. "Where's Lynn Bryant?"

"Why would I know that?" Nicholas asked.

"We know that it was you who killed those women," Hotch said. "Where is she?"

The man shrugged. "Not a clue."

"Get him out of here," Hotch said to Rossi. Once Hines was in a police car, Hotch turned to look at Emily. "I'm going to need you to interrogate him."

Emily nodded. She knew that Hines would be enraged at having to be interrogated by the very type of woman that he hated. Her being in the room would make him break sooner and then they'd be able to find Lynn.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Emily entered the interrogation room where Nicholas Hines was. She pulled the chair out to sit down and he began to shake his head.

"I'm not talking to you," he spat.

"You don't have much of a choice in the matter." Emily sat down and stared at the man. "Where's Lynn Bryant?"

Hines only shrugged his response as his gaze looked past Emily and not directly at her.

"We already have evidence that you're responsible for the murder of these women." Emily placed a folder on the desk and opened it. It contained pictures of the dead bodies of the women Hines had killed."

Hines looked down at the pictures and his lips twitched up into a smile for a millisecond before disappearing.

Emily closed the folder. "Is Lynn still alive?"

The man finally looked at Emily directly. "You think you're better than me don't you? You think just because you have some hot shot job and I'm just a plumber that you're better than me. Well you're not."

"That's not why I think I'm better than you," Emily said. "I'm better than you because I don't go around killing women because my ego is hurt. And guess what. I have a girlfriend that I love very much. She's better than you too."

Hines stood up quickly, knocking his chair over in the process. "I'll destroy you! I'll make you scream and beg me to stop just like all the others! You'll end up dead just like them. _All _of them!"

"Where is she?" Emily asked again.

Hines smiled as he sat back down. "I saw the news and decided that I'd have to lay low for awhile. I didn't want to risk dropping her body off anywhere so I buried her in my backyard. She's dead."

* * *

JJ was sitting in the back of the jet staring out the window as thoughts about the case flowed through her head. Specifically, Shannon, Lynn Bryant's girlfriend. The woman had plans to propose to Lynn a week from now during their four-year anniversary. JJ had promised they would find her, but she had been hoping the brunette would be alive when they did. She wasn't sure how Shannon would keep from falling apart. She didn't know how she would be able to handle losing Emily and with the job they did it could easily happen. Just thinking about Emily not being around broke her heart. The woman was her everything.

As the blonde continued to stare out the window, she felt a warm hand touch hers. When she turned her head, she saw Emily beside her.

"You look like you're thinking too hard," Emily said, softly.

JJ sighed. "Shannon lost a part of herself today. I don't ever want to experience that."

"You won't," Emily said.

"You don't know that," JJ said. "Do you know how many times our lives have been in danger just in this past month?"

"You can't think like that Jay-Jay," Emily said. "You'll drive yourself crazy if you do."

"I know. It's just hard not to."

Emily brought JJ's hand up to her mouth and kissed it. "How about when we get home you relax and get yourself settled while I take care of Henry? Then when he's asleep I'll give you the best massage ever."

JJ grinned. "The best massage ever? I'll be looking forward to that."

"Good," Emily said. "And don't get too lost in those thoughts of yours."

"What about you?" JJ asked. "You okay?"

"I hate that this case ended the way it did. We did all we could though… right?"

"There's nothing we could've done differently to change the outcome," JJ said. "We can't always save them all. The only person to blame for what happened is the unsub. You understand that Emily?"

The brunette nodded. "I just wish there was something we could've done."

"Me too."

Morgan and Reid sat down across from the two women and Reid held up a deck of cards. "You two feel like losing a few games of spades?"

"And you just assume we're going to lose?" Emily smirked.

"I'm pretty much unbeatable at spades," Reid said.

"Okay, how about if we win you get a haircut?" Emily said.

Reid touched his hair. "What's wrong with my hair?"

The other agents laughed and Morgan began to deal out the cards.

* * *

Two months later…

Emily looked around before getting up from her desk and going over to Morgan's. "Hey," she said in a low voice.

Morgan looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you whispering?"

"I need help," Emily said with the same low voice. "I've been thinking about buying a ring for Jay-Jay."

Those words caught Morgan's attention. "A ring? Like an engagement ring?"

Emily nodded. "I've been thinking about it for awhile. I can't ask Garcia for help though because she might let it slip to Jay-Jay. And there's no way I'll ask Hotch or Rossi for help. And Reid is well… Reid."

"So I'm your last resort?" Morgan asked.

"No," Emily said. "My mom's my last resort."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Come on," Emily rolled her eyes. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"All right, all right. I don't know much about rings though."

"That's fine. I don't either. I just need a second opinion," Emily said.

JJ approached the two talking agents with a stack of folders in her arms. "Second opinion on what?"

Emily turned around to look at her girlfriend. "Um, I was thinking of getting a haircut."

JJ frowned. "Why are you asking Morgan about that? He doesn't even have hair."

"I was going to surprise you," Emily said.

"Hey now. Just because I don't have hair doesn't mean I can't have an opinion on the matter." Morgan pretended to be insulted.

JJ smiled at him before looking back at Emily. "What are you doing to it?"

Emily shrugged. "Bangs?" JJ had recently gotten her haircut and was now sporting bangs herself.

JJ studied the woman's face for a second. "Yeah, I can see you with bangs. When are you going?"

"During my lunch break."

"Great. I'll go with you."

"No, that's okay. Morgan's going with me."

JJ laughed. "Really? He's going to sit in a salon? I'm surprised you're not dragging Reid with you so you can try and make him get a haircut."

"It'll give me a chance to meet some new ladies," Morgan smirked.

"And I really want to surprise you," Emily said.

"Okay," JJ said. "Well, think you can hand in your report on that Greg Kingsley case before you go?"

Emily made a face. "Yeah, I'll try."

"I need it before you go."

Emily gestured towards Morgan. "Has he turned in his?"

"Yeah, everyone has except you." JJ couldn't help but smile. She knew the woman hated writing reports and Emily looked annoyed at having to do it. It was cute.

"I'll finish it up now," Emily promised before heading back to her desk.

* * *

Emily had just returned from her lunch break with Morgan and she was ecstatic. She had plans to propose to JJ this Saturday but she definitely wasn't going to be able to wait that long now that she had the ring. "Hey Reid," she approached the man who was sitting at his desk. "Can you keep a secret?"

"I've been known as a good person to tell secrets to," Reid said. "What's up?"

Emily made sure that JJ wasn't around before pulling the small box out of her jacket pocket. She pulled the ring out and put the box back in her pocket. "What do you think?" She held it out for him to see.

"Is that an engagement ring?" Reid said.

Emily nodded. "I'm going to ask Jay-Jay to marry me."

"That's great," Reid smiled. "Congratulations. The ring is gorgeous. I know Jay-Jay will love it."

"Hey my lovelies."

Emily quickly closed her hand around the ring and turned around to face Garcia. "Hey."

"What are you three doing?" Garcia asked.

"Nothing," Emily said.

Garcia furrowed her brows. "What's in your hand?"

"Nothing."

"Emily Prentiss." Garcia placed her hands on her hips. "You know you can't keep a secret from me."

"Just tell her," Morgan said. "She'll find out one way or another."

"Promise you won't tell Jay-Jay anything," Emily said.

"I promise," Garcia said.

Emily opened her hand and showed Garcia the ring.

"Oh my god," the blonde let out in an excited whisper. "Seriously?"

Emily nodded. "Seriously."

"Jay-Jay at eight o'clock," Reid said letting them know where the media liaison was approaching them from.

Emily quickly shoved the ring in her pants pocket before JJ reached them. "Okay, let's see it," she heard JJ say.

Emily turned around and JJ looked confused. "I thought you were getting a haircut."

"I changed my mind," Emily said.

"You look amazing the way you are anyway," JJ said. "I have to get back to work. Probably won't see you again until it's time to leave."

"Okay," Emily said. "Try not to work yourself into the ground." Once JJ disappeared into her office, Emily turned back to her friends. "If all goes well, then Jay-Jay will be my fiancé by the end of the night."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Emily was home pacing her bedroom as she practiced how she was going to ask JJ to marry her. Garcia had taken her home while JJ had gone to pick Henry up. The blonde didn't understand why Emily didn't want to come with her but she had been fine with it. She just assumed that maybe the brunette wanted some time alone in the house to unwind.

The profiler stopped pacing when she heard the front door open and she quickly hid the ring in one of the dresser drawers that JJ had emptied for her when she first moved in. The brunette left the room to greet her girlfriend and Henry, but as they ascended the stairs she saw that Henry was already fast asleep.

"He fell asleep in the car. He asked for you. He actually said your full name too."

"Really?" Emily smiled. She liked knowing that Henry didn't forget about her when she wasn't around.

"Yeah, he loves you," JJ said. "You know that, right?"

Emily nodded. "It's just hard to believe sometimes."

JJ placed a kiss on Emily's lips. "And I love you too. I'm going to put him down and then can we talk?"

"Is everything okay?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, we'll talk after I put Henry down." JJ headed to the boy's room and Emily went back to the bedroom.

As the profiler sat on the bed, she wondered what JJ could want to talk to her about. She knew she had been acting weird today and thought that maybe the blonde wanted to talk to her about it.

JJ entered the room and stood before Emily. She wasn't sure how to bring up what she was about to talk about without a fight possibly starting so she decided not to beat around the bush. "I need to go to New Orleans for the weekend."

Emily frowned. "For what?"

"You know that Will isn't able to pick up Henry for the weekend because he's not feeling well."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, I called to check on him on the drive to get Henry and he sounds worse than he did this morning. He doesn't have anyone to look after him and I just want to go and help him out."

"He can take care of himself," Emily said. "He's a grown man."

"You should've heard him," JJ said. "He sounded like he was near death. I feel bad for him."

"Then send him a get well card." Emily stood up. "You don't have to go to New Orleans because he's sick."

"Look, he may be my ex but we're still friends and I want Henry to see his father as much as possible."

"I don't want my girlfriend going to New Orleans to play wife to her ex-boyfriend," Emily said, sternly.

"That's too bad, Emily because I'm going," JJ said. "And I'm not playing wife to him. I'm being a good friend."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "You're not friends. You wouldn't even be talking if Henry wasn't in the picture."

"But he is in the picture," JJ said. "And I was hoping that you would be fine with this."

"Of course I'm not fine with this. I'm sure he's been sick plenty of times since you broke up and I haven't seen you run to go take care of him. Why now?"

"I've never heard him this sick before," JJ said. "Like I said, I feel bad for him. I'm going. Please don't read too much into this. It's just me going to take care of a friend and letting him see his son."

Emily placed a hand on her hip. "What if I had plans for us?"

JJ sighed. "Don't try to guilt trip me Emily."

"You know what. Whatever."

"Emily," JJ said as the brunette walked out of the room. The next sound she heard was the front door slam shut. "Damn it." She ran a hand through her hair and let out a sigh. The blonde hoped Emily would return before she went to bed because she was leaving in the morning and wouldn't be back until Sunday night. She didn't want to leave with them upset with each other.

* * *

The next morning, JJ walked into the kitchen with Henry in her arms. She was already dressed to go and just wanted to say bye to Emily. The brunette was currently sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning," JJ said, cautiously. This was her first time seeing Emily since last night.

"Hi," Emily said.

"I'm leaving now," JJ said. "I'll call you when I reach New Orleans."

Emily stood up and went over to the blonde. She placed a kiss on Henry's head and the boy smiled and held out his arms for her. She took him and gave him another kiss. "You have a good time buddy." Henry said some words that came out as baby babble and Emily handed him back to JJ before sitting back down.

"Seriously, you're going to act this way?" JJ asked.

"Just call me when you get to New Orleans so I know that you made it and I'll see you when you get back," Emily said.

JJ rolled her eyes. She wanted to have a few words with the brunette but she really didn't want to have another fight before she left. "Fine. Bye."

Emily heard the blonde leave and sighed. She headed upstairs to their bedroom and opened the dresser drawer containing the engagement ring. She flipped the lid open and looked at it for a moment before closing it. She placed it back in the drawer but this time she put it in the very back under some clothes. Maybe it wasn't the right time to be getting engaged.

* * *

It was Sunday night and JJ had been home for two hours. Emily wasn't home and the brunette hadn't answered her phone when JJ had called her. Not wanting to get her friends caught in their quarrel, she didn't bother calling anyone to find out if they knew where she was.

JJ heard the front door open and waited for Emily to come up to the bedroom. When the brunette entered the room, she stopped near the doorway. "Hey."

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" JJ asked.

"Because I wanted to enjoy my night," Emily stated.

"Oh and I would've ruined that for you?"

"I don't want to fight," Emily sighed.

"Where were you?"

"Out with an old friend. She and her mom came here to visit and my mom thought it would be nice for us to catch up."

"So you were out with this friend, her mom and your mom?" JJ asked.

"For most of the day." Emily knew where this was headed. "It's been just us since five this afternoon."

"And what'd you two do?"

"I showed her around and we spent the last two hours in a bar," Emily said. "Now I'm here."

JJ was silent for a few seconds as she stared at the bed sheets. She looked up and Emily with sadness in her eyes. "Did you cheat on me?"

Emily shook her head. "Of course not. I would never do that to you. You know that."

It was true. She did know that. She was just feeling insecure at the moment. "I know."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"I left here Saturday with you upset with me and when I get home you don't answer my phone. I just thought the worse."

Emily kicked off her shoes and moved to join JJ on the bed. She looked the blonde in her eyes and spoke her next words with emphasis. "I did not cheat on you. I'm sorry I didn't answer my phone. I'm just still upset with you for ditching me for your ex-boyfriend."

"Emily," JJ sighed. "I didn't ditch you."

"That's how I feel," Emily said.

"If it was anyone else would you have cared?" JJ asked.

"Honestly, no," Emily said. "But it wasn't anyone else. It was him and he still has feelings for you."

JJ ran a hand through her hair. "We need to talk."

"The last time you said those words things didn't end so well."

"Yeah, I don't think they're going to now either," JJ said.

All the thoughts that rushed into Emily's head scared her. Was JJ leaving her? Did she decide that Will was who she wanted to be with and that everything between them had been a mistake?

The media liaison could see the worry in Emily's face and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you."

Those words helped Emily relax a little. "I love you too."

JJ really didn't want to be telling Emily this but she valued honesty in her relationship with the woman. "Will kissed me." She saw the anger immediately appear in the brunette's eyes. "I pushed him away as soon as his lips touched mine. He said he got caught up in the moment. You know with me being there and all. I swear to you I pushed him away as soon as it happened. I was saying bye to him so I could leave with Henry to the airport and he just kissed me."

Emily was off the bed at this point and she was pacing. "I knew he couldn't be trusted. I bet he's been planning ways to get you back."

"Don't be ridiculous," JJ said. "He just made a mistake. I told him where my heart lies and he knows that you're it for me."

"Apparently not if he's making moves on you," Emily spat. "I can't believe you're standing up for him."

"Don't," JJ said. "I took care of it. It won't happen again."

"Are you sure about that?" Emily asked. "Maybe you wanted it to happen."

JJ got out of the bed so that she was standing in front of Emily. "Of course I didn't want it to happen. I don't have feelings for him. I love you, Emily. Do you not understand that? Don't ever question my loyalty to you."

Emily scoffed. "Like you questioned mine earlier?"

"You were giving me a reason to," JJ said. "I never gave you a reason to doubt me."

"Running to aid your ex is a pretty big reason."

"There's no talking to you right now," JJ sighed. "I'm going to bed."

"Fine with me." Emily gathered a few things from the room and headed to the guest room.

That night both women cried themselves to sleep hoping tomorrow would be a better day for them.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

JJ was sitting in her office trying to concentrate on the files in front of her but her mind kept trailing off to Emily. She hated that they were fighting and knew that it probably all could've been avoided if the communication between them had been better. She was media liaison and still had communication problems in her relationship. She definitely wasn't laughing at that irony.

A soft knock on her door pulled her away from her thoughts and she saw Garcia poke her head inside. "Can I come in?"

JJ nodded and Garcia walked into the office. Everyone had noticed the tension between JJ and Emily. They had assumed that JJ turned down Emily's proposal. Garcia had expected the two to show up at work beaming and she thought JJ would be showing everyone the ring. Neither had happened. No one wanted to ask Emily about it because the woman looked like she would snap at anyone who spoke to her. JJ was their best bet to find out what was going on.

"You've been in here all day. You didn't even come out for your lunch break." Garcia stole a glance at JJ's hands. Definitely no ring. "Are you and Emily okay?"

JJ shook head. "She won't even look at me." JJ's voice cracked as she spoke. She had been willing herself not to cry all day and she hoped she wouldn't start now.

"Oh honey." Garcia moved over to JJ, pulling a chair with her. She positioned it so that it was beside the woman and sat down. "Why'd you say no? Did you think it was too soon?" Garcia took in the confused look written all over the woman's face. "Emily's upset because you turned down her wedding proposal, right?"

JJ's eyes widened. "She was going to propose?"

There was no lying her way out of this one so Garcia went for the truth. "Yeah, last night. We thought that maybe you said no so that was why you two aren't talking."

The blonde felt her heart tighten at Garcia's words. "I don't see her doing that anymore."

"What happened?" Garcia asked.

JJ let out a breath and told Garcia every detail of her fight with Emily. As she let the words flow out, she realized now how wrong she had been in how she handled things.

"Hun," Garcia began. "You should've spoken to her about going to visit Will instead of just saying you're going. You didn't include her at all in your decision. Jay-Jay, I know you're an independent woman and you don't like being told what to do and whatnot but you messed up with this one. You don't still have feelings for Will do you?"

"God no," JJ answered. "I just felt bad for him. He barely gets to see Henry as it is and this weekend my parents made plans to take Henry with them on a trip so he wasn't going to be able to take him then either. I just figured I'd help him out over the weekend and give him a chance to see Henry. I was trying to be nice."

"I'm sure Emily would've understood that if you talked to her about it," Garcia said.

"I'm a horrible girlfriend," JJ said.

"You're not," Garcia assured her. "People make mistakes."

"I asked her if she cheated on me," JJ said. "I know she'd never even think about being with another woman yet I asked her and it just made things worse."

"It happens," Garcia said. "What you have to focus on now is making things right. You're a very lucky woman Jay-Jay. Emily loves you. The next time you decide to visit Will or anything like that then you have to speak to her beforehand. It doesn't mean you don't have your independence. It just keeps your relationship strong if you include her in these things."

"You're right. I'm just not used to having to check in with someone when I want to do something." JJ was used to doing her own thing. Even when she was dating Will she never had to talk to him before she did anything. It was a long-distance relationship so it was never really an issue.

"You two will be just fine," Garcia said. "You just need to talk. I'll let you get back to work."

"Thanks Garcia," JJ said. "I appreciate you listening to me."

"That's what I'm here for sugar plum." Garcia left the office and headed right to Emily's desk. "Can I talk to you?"

Emily kept her eyes on her paperwork. "I'm not in the mood Garcia."

"Please?" Garcia asked.

Emily sighed and set her pen down. She got up and followed Garcia to her office. "I really don't want to talk about this."

"That's fine. You don't have to say anything," Garcia said. "You need to understand that Will is a permanent fixture in Jay-Jay's life. They have a child together. He's going to be around whether you like it or not. Yes, Jay-Jay should've talked to you before deciding to go to New Orleans. She made a mistake. No one's perfect. She loves you Emily. I've never seen her this happy with anyone. Not even Will. He was interested and she was lonely. That's all that was. What you two have is real and I'll be damned if I let your relationship end over something that can be talked out."

Emily opened her mouth to speak, but Garcia continued to speak.

"And you need to understand that Jay-Jay feels guilty for breaking Will's heart. She doesn't say it but I can tell. The man really thought that they would be married by now and raising their son together. She feels bad that he doesn't get to see Henry as much as she does. She has no romantic feelings for him whatsoever."

"I don't know what it is with him," Emily said. "I just feel threatened and I know I shouldn't."

"It's you, Emily. That's all she wants and needs."

"Thank you, Garcia. I needed this talk."

"You're welcome," Garcia smiled. "You can come to me anytime. If not, I'll just hunt you down and make you talk to me anyway. Besides, I'm cheaper than therapy. I just want my girls happy."

Emily smiled her first smile that day. "You're pretty amazing Penelope Garcia."

"So I've been told on numerous occasions. Now get back to work and tomorrow morning I want a full report on how you two are doing."

Emily laughed. "Yes ma'am." She headed back to her desk, really wanting to go speak to JJ but she knew that right now wasn't the time. She'd wait and hopefully make things right when they got home.

* * *

Garcia sat at her desk thinking about her two favorite women. She wondered if Emily would still be proposing to the blonde after they made up. She hoped so. If not, then she feared for her life if JJ told Emily that she knew that she had planned to do it and it caused another fight between them. She guessed she wouldn't know until tomorrow.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Emily finished straightening up her desk before picking up one of the reports she had to give JJ and heading up to the blonde's office. The door was already open so she knocked on it to make her presence known before walking inside.

JJ looked up and was surprised to see her girlfriend. This was the first time they had made eye contact since yesterday night. She had missed seeing those eyes. "Hi."

Emily held up the report. "I just finished this." She walked towards the desk and handed it to JJ.

"Thanks." JJ took the file and set it aside. She wasn't sure what to say. She knew they weren't okay so she wasn't going to even bother making small talk. The obvious thing to do was to apologize. "Emily, I'm sorry about how I handled the Will situation with you. I should've spoken to you about it."

"Let's not do this here," Emily said, softly. "How about I go pick up Henry and you can go home?"

"You don't have to do that," JJ said.

"I want to. I haven't seen him much. Then maybe when I get back we can talk."

JJ nodded. "Talking would be good."

"Okay, I'll see you in a few then," Emily said.

JJ watched the brunette walk out and immediately missed her. She didn't follow after the brunette like she wanted to though. She wanted to have dinner ready for her girlfriend by the time they got home and she wanted to prepare herself to do some serious groveling.

JJ finished setting the table before heading back to the living room. She had ordered food before she even reached her car and picked it up on her way home. Now she was cleaning up the mess she had made in the living room while making a present for Emily to show just how sorry she was. After finishing with everything the blonde heard a car door slam shut and knew Emily was home with Henry. She went to open the front door and leaned against the doorway as she watched Emily take Henry out of the backseat. She was grateful when she saw that he was asleep. She really wanted to talk to Emily and work things out. She hated when things weren't right between them.

"Hey," JJ greeted Emily. "How was he?"

"Great. He's more stable with his walking," Emily said as she entered the house. "He practically ran to me when he saw me. Okay, that might be a little over exaggeration."

JJ closed and locked the front door. "We really need to get baby gates on the top and bottom of the stairs. I've been slacking." JJ ran her hand over the top of Henry's head.

"We can go this weekend if you're not running off to New Orleans again." Emily regretted her words as soon as she said them. She was supposed to be making things better not worse.

"Emily," JJ began.

"I'm sorry. Really, I am. That was uncalled for. I'm just gonna go put Henry down and I'll be right back."

JJ sighed as Emily headed upstairs. She guessed she deserved that low blow. She went into the living room and sat down on the couch. Did Emily really think she still had feelings for Will? She barely had them to begin with. She thought by now the woman would've realized that. As JJ got lost in her thoughts, she didn't see or hear Emily enter the living room until she felt the brunette sit down next to her on the couch.

Emily reached out and took JJ's hand into hers. "I'm sorry about that comment earlier. I'm still upset about it Jay-Jay."

JJ looked at the brunette. "You have every right to be. I should've come to you about it first. It won't happen again. I hope you really don't think I wanted him to kiss me either. I really wasn't expecting it and like I said, I pushed him away as soon as it happened. I would never be unfaithful or hurt you in that way. I just… I feel... I don't know…"

"Guilty," Emily said, remembering what Garcia had said about the woman feeling bad about Will not seeing his son that often.

JJ nodded. "Yeah. I didn't mean to push your feelings aside."

"And I'm sorry too for snapping instead of trying to talk it out with you," Emily said.

"I probably would've done the same," JJ admitted. "I just hope we're going to be okay."

"Of course we are," Emily said. "I'm in this for the long haul."

The blonde smiled. "Good." JJ moved so that she was sitting on Emily's lap. "I've missed you. I would've called you while I was in New Orleans, but I didn't think that would go well."

"I would've called you too but I was being stubborn," Emily said. "And you should let Will know that if he ever kisses you again, I'll shoot him."

"Why do I think you're serious?" JJ laughed.

"Because I am." Emily placed a kiss on JJ's lips and it instantly deepened. The brunette let out a soft moan and let her hand move under JJ's shirt. "I think make-up sex is in order."

"Hold on." JJ got off Emily's lap and picked up an envelope off the coffee table. "Here."

Emily took the envelope. "What is it?"

"Open it."

The brunette opened the envelope and saw several small pieces of paper inside. She pulled one out and looked at it. She smiled when she read it. It was a "get out of jail" free card that she could use when JJ was upset with her. "And what's the purpose of this?"

"I'll let you sleep in our bedroom when I'm upset with you," JJ said.

Emily laughed and pulled out another piece of paper. "A pass to have sex wherever I want?"

"Except at work," JJ added.

"I'm liking these," the profiler grinned as she took out another. "Sweet. Can I use this one more than once?"

JJ looked at the paper Emily was holding and laughed. It was a pass for Emily to be able to get into the shower with her if she told her she couldn't. Sometimes she just wanted her alone time in the shower and often told Emily she couldn't join her.

"So why'd you make these for me?" Emily asked.

"It's my gift to you for being an idiot," JJ said.

Emily stood up and kissed the woman. "You're amazing. Definitely not an idiot. Thank you. It's sweet."

JJ smiled. "You're welcome."

"Come on. Let's go upstairs."

As they headed upstairs, JJ wondered if the brunette was going to propose sometime soon. She understood that tonight wasn't the ideal time, but she hoped that it would happen before the week was over.

* * *

"She didn't ask," JJ said to Garcia. The blonde was frustrated with her girlfriend. It had been a month since their fight and Emily still hadn't proposed. JJ had been dropping hints left and right but the brunette was clueless, or at least pretending to be. "She doesn't want to marry me anymore."

Garcia was sitting on her bed across from JJ. "That's not true."

JJ perked up. Maybe Emily had told Garcia that she planned on doing it on a certain day. "How do you know? Has she told you something?"

The tech analyst shook her head. "No, I just know."

The blonde's shoulders slumped. "Oh."

"Oh?" Garcia said with disbelief. "Hello, I'm the All Knowing. I know these things. Emily Prentiss definitely wants to marry you. Maybe she's waiting for a reason."

"Yeah, and that reason is she's changed her mind," JJ sighed. "I can't even find the ring. I've looked all over for it. Maybe she pawned it."

"You're thinking crazy. She wouldn't do that," Garcia said.

"Well, I'm not waiting for her to do it," JJ said. "I'll ask her."

"No!" Garcia exclaimed, quickly. "I mean, no don't do that," she said in a calmer voice. "Let her do it when she's ready."

JJ stared at her friend. "You know something."

"I don't know anything," Garcia spoke fast. "I'm thirsty. Are you thirsty?" The woman left the room, but JJ was right on her heels.

"What do you know?"

"I promised I wouldn't say anything." Garcia entered the kitchen and opened the fridge.

"So she is proposing?" JJ asked.

Garcia turned around with a carton of orange juice in her hand. "She wants to propose when she's ready and she really wants to be the one to do it."

"Do you know when?" JJ was getting excited.

"I'm not saying another word. I refuse to ruin this for Emily," Garcia said. "Just be patient. Really patient."

"Does that mean it's going to take awhile?" JJ asked.

"Maybe. Maybe not. But it will happen," Garcia said.

"Did you ever tell her that you told me that she was planning to propose?"

Garcia nodded. "Yeah, I ended up telling her you knew. I think that's part of why she's dragging it out. She wants to surprise you and she can't do that if you're expecting it."

"Okay, I'll push it to the back of my mind and let it happen when it happens."

JJ was beaming and that made Garcia happy. She just hoped the woman would be able to wait.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

JJ was sitting in the car with Emily as the brunette drove them home. The media liaison was beyond upset. She had hoped that her girlfriend would propose to her tonight, but it didn't happen. It had been a few weeks since she talked to Garcia about it and she was trying to be patient. She really was. Emily just wasn't making it easy to do that. For weeks the profiler had made it seem like she was about to propose but then never did. It was driving JJ insane and she knew that her girlfriend was doing it to rile her up.

Tonight Emily had taken her out after work for a romantic dinner while her parents watched Henry for them. JJ thought for sure tonight would be the night, but it didn't happen. Emily continued to mess with her by saying romantic things and setting up the moment for a perfect proposal but never followed through.

Emily glanced at her girlfriend before returning her gaze to the road. A smile was pulling at the corner of her lips. She was highly amused by JJ's irritation at not having been asked to marry her yet. It was horrible of her, but seeing the look of complete exasperation on the blonde's face was adorable.

"You're a jerk," JJ blurted out.

Emily raised her eyebrows at the woman's words. "Excuse me?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know what you've been doing," JJ said. "You're dragging this out to make me crazy aren't you? I would've done it by now, but Garcia was all "let her do it. She wants to do it." But you're not doing it!"

Emily frowned. "Not doing what?"

JJ let out a groan and turned her head to look at the brunette. She recognized the look Emily got when she was confused, but she wasn't buying it. "You know what I'm talking about," she grumbled.

"Honey, I have no idea what you're going on about." Emily pulled into their driveway and turned off the car before looking at the woman.

JJ undid her seatbelt. "Fine. Pretend to be clueless." JJ opened the car door, but before she could get out, Emily stopped her.

"Wait. Here." Emily pulled out a pass that JJ had made her and handed it to her girlfriend. She had it ready because she knew the blonde would be upset with her tonight.

JJ took the piece of paper and unfolded it, rolling her eyes when she saw which one it was. She didn't know what she was thinking making a free pass for Emily to be able to have sex with her even if she was upset with her. She tossed the paper at the brunette and got out of the car.

Emily chuckled to herself and got out of the car as well.

JJ unlocked the front door but didn't enter. She turned to her girlfriend. "I'm going to check the mailbox."

"All right, I'll be upstairs." Emily entered the house and was surprised to see rose pedals making a path to the living room. She left the front door cracked open for JJ and followed the trail. The rose pedals stopped at the coffee table and she saw a post-it note stuck to it. She picked it up and smiled as she read it. "Locate the first movie we ever watched together." Emily laughed at the memory. Back when they were just friends, JJ had wanted to watch a romantic comedy, but Emily had been reluctant to watch it. She ended up loving it but didn't want to admit it. She opened the drawer to the TV table and began looking through the DVDs. After a few seconds, she located the movie and found a post-it note on it as well.

_Emily, I can't put into words how much I love you. You are the most amazing person I have ever met. You're strong, funny, smart, beautiful and kind. The list could go on. I'm glad I have you in my life. You're my everything. _

Emily saw a little arrow at the bottom of the note indicating that there was something on the back. She turned it over and read it aloud. "Go to the basement and find your lamp." Emily laughed. She had totally forgotten about her lamp. The brunette left the living room to go downstairs.

Upon arriving in the basement, Emily saw the lamp immediately. It was resting on top of a box marked junk. She never came down here. She didn't know why though. It was a finished basement but it didn't have much in it. Just an extra couch and table. She'd have to make it a goal to spice the room up. She went over to the lamp and retrieved the note from it.

_I love staring at you. That sounds incredibly creepy, but I can tell so much of what you're feeling just by looking at you. I also love spending time with you as you should already know. Now open your present. _

The brunette looked beside her lamp and saw a photo album. She picked it up and opened it. The first picture was of her sleeping on the jet with her head resting against the window. On the space below the picture were a few words written by JJ.

_You look so angelic when you sleep. I sometimes hate having to wake you up when we land for a case. But there's no sound sexier than when you first wake up and your voice is all husky. _

Emily smiled and flipped to the next picture. It was one of her sleeping on the couch with Henry on top of her.

_See? Absolutely angelic. I love this picture. I stole a kiss from you that night while you slept. I thought it'd be the only time I'd get to kiss you. I'm glad I was wrong. _

Emily continued to flip through the pictures of her with the team, Henry and JJ. A smile was on her face the whole time. The last picture was of her sitting beside JJ with Henry on her lap.

_You and Henry are my family, Emily. I never want that to change. You both bring so much joy into my life that I feel like I'm going to explode with it sometimes. I love everything about you. Never change. _

On the back of the album was another note. She was now being instructed to go to Henry's room.

When she reached the room, she flipped on the light. She saw the note on the crib and pulled it off to read it.

_You're a mother to Henry just as much as I am. You've done more for him than I would've ever asked you to do. He loves you. He feels safe with you just like I do. Now go to where you feel safe. _

Emily wiped a stray tear from her eye. She had always wanted a family of her own and never thought she would get it. JJ was making her dreams come true. She left the room and made her way to the bedroom she shared with JJ. When she opened the door, she saw the woman she loved standing there with a smile on her face.

"Hi," the blonde said.

Emily returned the smile. "How'd you manage this?"

JJ grinned. "Reid. I talked about it with him during work and then I texted him as soon as we left the house to go to dinner so that he could set this all up for me."

"Sneaky," Emily smiled. "This is all really sweet and I love this." She held up the photo album. "What's the occasion?"

"The occasion," JJ took the album away from Emily and set it on the dresser. "is this." She held up an engagement ring for her girlfriend to see.

Emily's eyes widened. It hadn't crossed her mind that this whole thing was going to lead to JJ proposing to her.

"I'm tired of waiting, Emily. I really want this. I want to move ahead with our future. I really do feel safe with you. I could be unarmed with a gun pointed at me but as long as you're with me, I know I'm safe. And I'm not just saying that. When Janice Moore had that gun pointed at my head, I knew you'd make sure nothing happened to me. When I was bleeding to death in the woods, you made me feel safe. I hope it's not too big of an assumption to say that I think I make you feel the same."

Emily shook her head. "It's not."

JJ smiled and intertwined her fingers with Emily's. "What we have is something I cherish. I want to go through the rest of my life with you as my wife, Emily Prentiss. Will you marry?"

Emily had the biggest smile on her face at hearing those words. "Of course I'll marry you, Jennifer."

JJ leaned forward to kiss Emily. All their feelings went into that one kiss. After what felt like minutes, they broke apart. JJ slipped the engagement ring on Emily's ring finger and then kissed the woman again. "I love you."

"I love you too," Emily said. "Can I give you your ring now?"

JJ let out a small laugh. "I've been waiting for you to give me that ring for awhile now."

Emily moved closed to the bed and stuck her hand between the mattress.

"I should've known you'd hide it someplace like that," JJ said.

Emily retrieved the ring and took JJ's left hand into hers. "I had to make sure my impatient girlfriend didn't find it." The brunette slipped the ring onto JJ's ring finger. "Perfect."

JJ let out a squeal. "We're engaged!"

"That we are," Emily smiled. She kissed JJ. "I was waiting for work to be less hectic so I could get us to take some time off. I had decided that I wanted to propose to you in Italy. There's this beautiful spot that I used to visit all the time."

JJ suddenly felt guilty for taking away from what Emily wanted to do. "I'm sorry. I should've waited."

"It's fine. We can always go there on our honeymoon. I just wanted you to know why I was waiting. But on to more important matters. How do you want to celebrate?"

The media liaison smirked. "There are a few things I could think of," she said, seductively.

"Oh yeah, and what are they?" Emily wrapped her arms around JJ.

"I should call my parents first!" JJ said, happily before rushing out of her room to retrieve her cell phone from downstairs.

Emily laughed and decided to go join JJ. The brunette felt elated and she couldn't wait to be married to Jennifer Jareau.

* * *

A/N: I'm going to skip a year or two ahead in the next chapter. Just a heads up.

Thanks for the feedback.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Two years later…

Emily watched as her wife ran around the room looking for her camera. It was amusing to watch the woman frantically search every area of the bedroom. "Do you really need a picture?"

"Yes!" JJ exclaimed as she exited their walk-in closet. "We have to document every moment."

Emily rolled her eyes but had a smile on her face. "It's just a stick, Jay-Jay."

JJ looked at her wife with disbelief. "It's not just a stick, Emily Prentiss. It's signifies the time we found out that we're having a baby!" The woman went back to searching for her camera and then remembered that it was downstairs. "This is great! Henry's going to be so excited!"

The profiler smiled to herself and sat down on the edge of the bed and wrapped her mind around the morning's events. Another baby was going to be in the house in nine months. She knew she'd be a great mother. She had practically raised Henry with JJ. She already had the experience and she loved kids.

The media liaison rushed back upstairs and smiled at the brunette. "What's on your mind?"

Emily stood up from the bed and pulled JJ in for searing kiss. JJ wrapped her arms around Emily's neck and let out a light moan.

The blonde lightly pushed her wife away. "Okay, at this rate we're going to be late for work. Very late." JJ went into the bathroom and Emily saw a flash of light go off.

"I'm surprised you don't want to keep it." Emily joked about the pregnancy test.

"A picture will suffice," JJ said. "I have one from when I was pregnant with Henry. I have to keep the tradition alive. Now let's get to work so we can share this news."

* * *

JJ and Emily had just dropped Henry off at JJ's parents' house and they had shared the news with them. To say they were excited was an understatement. JJ had told her mom that they would hire a nanny when the baby was born so that she could get a break but Mrs. Jareau wasn't having it. She wanted to watch Henry as well as the baby.

"So," JJ said as she drove them to work. "Are you looking forward to the morning sickness and bipolar emotions you'll have to deal with?"

"Not at all," Emily said. "I'm hoping to bypass all of that. But hey, what do you think of the name Ian?"

"Ian?" JJ thought about it for awhile. "I like it."

"Took you too long to decide. That name's out," Emily said. "We have to both absolutely love it. What about Angela if it's a girl?"

"I knew an Angela once. She was a bitch," JJ stated.

"Okay, that's out too," Emily said.

"We have nine months for that hun," JJ said. "We'll devote a day to figuring out baby names. I promise. We should at least wait until we figure out the gender. It'll make it easier."

Emily smiled. "Sorry, I'm just really excited."

"I am too. I feel like I've been shot up with caffeine. I'm just bouncy and happy. I don't know what to do with all of my excitement."

The brunette laughed and placed her hand on JJ's knee. "I'll take care of that tonight."

JJ grinned. "I'm sure you will."

The two women arrived at work and headed inside the building. As they stood on the elevator waiting to reach their floor, Emily began to wonder how they were going to tell everyone.

"So are we telling everyone individually or are we doing a group thing?"

"I was thinking we'd do a group thing," JJ said. "I'll gather everyone in the conference room and we'll tell them. Does that work for you?"

Emily nodded. "That sounds fine."

JJ looked at her watch. "We're not early as usual so the team is probably here already."

The elevator doors opened and the women stepped out of it. Emily headed to her desk with JJ beside her.

"Morning guys," JJ said. "Conference room in five, okay?"

"Yeah, we'll be there," Morgan said.

Reid looked up at the brunette. "Hey Emily want to see a magic trick?"

"Always," Emily said. "Am I going to get hurt this time?" The last time Reid had shown her a trick, she had gotten hit on the head."

"I said I was sorry about that," Reid said. "This is perfectly safe."

"Show me later," Emily said. "I'm going to get Garcia so she can join us in the conference room."

After everyone was in the conference room, JJ and Emily stood before them to announce their good news.

JJ smiled at the people she considered to be her family. "We just wanted to let you all know that in nine months we're going to have a new member to our family."

"No way!" Garcia exclaimed as she shot up from her chair. "I can't believe you guys kept this from me!" She went over to the women and pulled them into a hug. "This is great!"

"It definitely is great," Morgan smiled. "Congratulations. I think I speak for all of us when I say we're happy for you."

"That we are," Hotch said. "Just let me know when you will need time off and you'll get it Jay-Jay."

Reid hugged the two women before looking at the media liaison. "We don't mind helping you out if you get overwhelmed with work." Reid knew the woman could handle the work, but he just wanted her to know that they were there for her.

"Thanks, but hold on a second," JJ said. "I'm not the one that's pregnant."

Everyone's eyes widened and they looked at Emily.

"Sorry, Prentiss," Morgan said. "We just assumed that it was Jay-Jay."

"So did her parents," Emily said.

"Well just know that we're here for you," Morgan said.

"And we expect you to take it easy," Rossi said to the brunette.

"I'll make sure she does," JJ said.

"We have to celebrate," Garcia said. "My place tonight for dinner."

"We can't tonight," Emily said, apologetically.

"Yeah, Ambassador Prentiss is coming over for dinner," JJ said.

"Tomorrow then," Garcia said. "We definitely have to celebrate this. I'm so happy for you guys" The blonde hugged the women again.

* * *

As the day went on Emily didn't fail to notice how everyone was already treating her with care.

JJ continuously checked on her throughout the day. Reid kept asking her if she needed anything. Morgan kept making sure that what she was drinking was really water and not coffee. Hotch and Rossi were too busy to bother her much but they still passed her desk more than they did on a regular day. Don't even get her started on Garcia. The woman was watching her from the cameras and would come to check on her if she did something as simple as sneeze. They were driving her crazy. She hoped the next nine months weren't going to be like this. She was seriously going to have to sit the team down and have a talk with them in order to maintain her sanity.

* * *

"Why does everyone keep assuming you're the one that's pregnant?" Emily huffed as she got into bed with JJ. Even her mother thought JJ was the one carrying their baby.

The blonde shrugged. "Probably because I've been pregnant before or maybe they think you wouldn't want to be pregnant."

"Why?" Emily asked. "Because you're more girly than me? That's stupid."

"I know, honey. They don't mean anything by it," JJ said.

"I kinda wish they still thought you were the one that's pregnant though," Emily admitted. "I think I'm going to snap tomorrow if I get asked six times in a row if I'm doing all right."

"Sorry," JJ said, sheepishly. "I just know you're not one to complain about anything so I want to make sure you're okay."

"I'll let you know if I need anything," Emily promised. "Besides, I'm only one week pregnant. I can take care of myself. But thank you for wanting to take care of me."

"You're welcome," JJ said. "I'll see if I can get the team to ease up tomorrow. I can't make any promises when it comes to Garcia though."

Emily laughed. That was true. Garcia couldn't help it when it came to caring for others. "Well it's going to be an interesting nine months for me isn't it?"

JJ nodded. "But if it makes you feel any better, we're probably going to have crazy amounts of sex."

"That does make me feel better," Emily grinned. "Actually, I think we should start that now. I believe you have excitement that you need to put to good use."

JJ grinned as she moved on top of her wife. "I don't know if you can handle it."

"Oh I can handle it," Emily assured her.

JJ leaned down and the two began to make-out. Yep, it was definitely going to be an interesting nine months for Emily Prentiss.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

Six months later…

Emily closed the book she had been reading to Henry and looked over at the boy who was still awake in his bed. "You're not tired yet?"

Henry shook his head. "Can we play music for the baby?"

"It's late sweetheart. You have to get some sleep."

"Please," Henry pouted. "Just a few more minutes."

"Okay, but only for a little bit," Emily said.

Henry was out of bed in a flash. He took Emily by the hand and walked with her to her bedroom. Once there he jumped onto the bed and sat down. Emily smiled and retrieved her iPod before getting onto the bed as well.

"What do you think your sister is in the mood for tonight?" Emily asked.

"Mommy likes playing songs by that one lady," Henry said.

Emily laughed as she got onto the bed. "That one lady? She sounds familiar."

Henry began to think hard about the name and Emily couldn't help but smile at how his face was scrunched up as he thought. "Ms. Higgs!" The boy exclaimed.

"Do you mean Missy Higgins, hun?" Emily asked.

Henry nodded. "Mommy likes playing her."

"Missy Higgins it is then." Emily placed the headphones on her stomach before turning on her iPod.

Henry placed his hand on Emily's stomach. "I don't feel her kicking."

Emily moved Henry's hand to a different spot on her stomach and his eyes widened. "I felt it!" He moved his hand away and put his head down on Emily's stomach. "Hi, I'm your brother. Come out so we can play."

"She's not ready to come out yet, buddy. She has two more months."

JJ entered the room and thought it was the cutest thing when she saw Henry's head on Emily's stomach. He did that from time to time, but she still couldn't get over how cute it was. "Hey, isn't it past your bedtime."

Henry lifted his head up at the sound of his mom's voice and looked in her direction. "Mom said I could stay up."

"For a little while," Emily added. She looked at her wife. "He pouted."

JJ laughed. "That always gets you."

"We're playing music for the baby," Henry said. "She's kicking!"

JJ took off her shoes and joined Emily and Henry on the bed. "My future soccer star is working on her kicks?" She placed her hand on Emily's stomach and the brunette moved it to where their daughter was kicking.

Henry frowned. "I thought I was your future soccer star."

JJ pulled her son into her arms and kissed him on the cheek. "You both are." She tickled him and he began to laugh. "Now it's time for you to go to bed."

"Do I have to?" Henry asked.

JJ rustled his hair. "Yep. You're leaving for your dad's tomorrow morning. You have to get some rest. Let's go. I'll tuck you in."

Henry moved over to Emily and kissed her on the cheek. "Night." He then bent down and kissed her on the stomach. "Night," he said to her stomach.

The media liaison smiled big at his actions. "Go to your room and I'll be there in a second." Henry took off to his room and JJ looked at Emily. "Sorry I had to stay at work a little longer. I had to finish some things up."

"It's okay," Emily said. "Garcia didn't mind taking me to get Henry and driving me home. As a matter of fact, I think she loved it. She even stayed for awhile to watch Henry so I didn't have to chase him around."

JJ kissed the brunette. "That's good."

"Yeah, until she made me sit down on the couch and ordered me not to move. I think you secretly tell her to watch me like a hawk, but in front of me you tell her to leave me alone."

The blonde grinned. "I plead the fifth on that one. I'm going to tuck Henry in. I'll be right back."

"Okay, I have names for us to discuss, by the way."

"I won't be long," she said before heading to Henry's room.

A few minutes later, JJ was back in her bedroom lying on her side facing Emily as they talked about names for their daughter.

"I really like Jordan or Alexis," Emily said.

"Me too," JJ said. "Is Elizabeth still the middle name?"

"Yep, my mom should be excited about that one," Emily grinned. "Our biggest issue right now is the last name."

"I thought we were using your last?" JJ asked.

"Well, I just don't want to make you feel like it has to be my last name," Emily explained.

"Yours is fine. Your last name means something to a lot of people. It's important."

"As is yours," Emily said. "I don't want you to lose your last name. I really don't mind taking yours."

"How about we hyphenate it?" JJ asked. "Prentiss-Jareau?"

"Alexis Elizabeth Prentiss-Jareau?" Emily shook her head. "I don't know."

"Then it's your last name. I'll change mine to Jennifer Jareau Prentiss."

"You know we don't even have to change our names," Emily stated.

"LaMontagne, Jareau and Prentiss," JJ said. "That's too many last names for one family. We should at least narrow it down."

Emily laughed. "How about we talk more about this later? I have something else in mind."

JJ licked her lips and moved closer to Emily. As she went to kiss her, Emily turned her head away.

"We can do that too, but can you get me something to eat?" Emily asked.

The blonde smiled. "Of course. What would you like?"

"Anything. I'm just hungry," Emily said.

JJ shook her head. "The last time I brought you anything you hated it and got all grumpy."

Emily sighed and thought for a few seconds. "Cereal."

"Cereal it is," JJ said. "What kind?"

"Whatever's there," Emily said. Before the blonde could open her mouth, she continued talking. "Really. Anything. I won't throw a fit."

JJ left the room and headed downstairs to the kitchen. She loved doing things like this for Emily. It was something the brunette wouldn't let her do if she wasn't pregnant. She rarely let her do it now. She was just glad the woman loosened up a bit about letting people do things for her.

The profiler sat in her room thinking about last names still when she saw Henry's head poke into the room.

"Hi," the boy said.

"Henry shouldn't you be asleep?" Emily asked.

Henry nodded and entered the room. "I want to sleep with you, mommy and my sister."

Emily looked at the sad face the boy was making and her resolve quickly faded. "Okay, come on, but you have to go right to sleep."

The boy smiled and ran over to the bed and quickly climbed onto it. He snuggled up beside Emily and closed his eyes.

JJ entered the room with a bowl in her hand. At seeing Henry, she raised an eyebrow. "What do we have here?"

"He wants to sleep with us," Emily said. "I told him he could. You should've seen his face."

Henry opened his eyes. "Please mommy!"

JJ smiled. "Okay." The blonde went over to the bed to hand Emily the cereal.

"I actually don't want anything anymore," the brunette said, apologetically. "Sorry."

"That's okay, hun," JJ said. "It'll just be my dinner." JJ took a bite of the cereal. She sat down on the other side of the bed and looked at Henry. "Goodnight for real this time."

"Night," he said before closing his eyes again.

The blonde smiled at Emily and the profiler returned the smile.

"I love you," JJ said.

"I love you too."

Henry's eyes were still closed, but he still blurted out "I love you both."

JJ laughed and tickled her son with one hand as she tried not to spill the contents of the bowl that she held in the other. "We love you too. Now go to sleep you little stinker."

"Okay," Henry said through his laughter.

After JJ finished eating, she took a quick shower and was now standing by the bed staring at a sleeping Henry. Emily was a few seconds away from joining him. The media liaison picked up her camera from the dresser and took a picture of them, which earned a disapproving groan from the brunette.

"Come to bed, Jay-Jay."

The blonde did as she was ordered, turning off the lamp by her side of the bed before lying down. She closed her eyes and after a few minutes, she had fallen asleep with a slight smile on her face.

* * *

JJ was sitting in the living room with Garcia as Emily took a nap upstairs. At the moment she was talking to her friend about the last name situation.

"Well, a last name really doesn't make a family," Garcia pointed out. "So you two can make whatever decision you want and I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I was hoping for a more helpful answer," JJ said.

Garcia smiled. "You'll figure something out." She put an arm around JJ's shoulders and pulled her close. "I'm so happy for you and Emily."

"Thanks for bringing us together. You gave us the push we needed."

"I'm glad I helped. You really are the cutest couple ever. It makes everyone happy to see you two together."

"Emily's more than I ever dreamed of," JJ smiled. "She makes me deliriously happy. To this day I still can't describe how amazing she is. To me she is… she is love. I look at her and my heart just goes crazy. I love her so much."

"Everyone, including myself, wants what you two have one day. You were definitely made for each other. Now let's go work on finishing up that baby room."

JJ stood up with her best friend and headed upstairs. She couldn't wait for her and Emily's daughter to be born. Life was good and JJ was enjoying every minute of it.

* * *

A/N: Susannah2000: Thanks for the suggestions. I was going to make the baby a boy but went for a girl instead.

Thank you all for the feedback.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One**

A month and two weeks later…

Emily was sitting at her desk doing paperwork as Garcia finished up some things in her office. The team had just finished a case in California and was on the jet heading back to DC. Emily hated not being able to travel with them, but she helped them the best she could from the office. As she sat there trying to focus on her paperwork, she winced from a contraction. She looked at her watch and cursed under her breath. In the last hour her contractions had been twenty minutes apart. "This is happening early. That's okay. I have my go-bag and Garcia can drive me to the hospital. My wife is MIA but that's okay because she's on her way back here now. Everything's going to be fine." Emily took a deep breath to keep herself calm. "Garcia!"

The tech analyst quickly left her office and hurried over to Emily. "What's wrong?"

Emily touched her stomach. "I'm pretty sure I'm going into labor."

Garcia's mouth fell open and then she smiled. "Oh my god! Okay, I'll grab the keys to the SUV." Garcia rushed off to get the keys and Emily quickly grabbed her cell phone from her desk. She called JJ and waited for the blonde to answer but the woman didn't pick up. She decided to leave a voicemail. "What the hell, Jay-Jay. I'm going into labor and you're not answering your phone! Get your ass here now!"

Garcia returned to her friend. "You're yelling. Why are you yelling?"

"Jay-Jay didn't answer her phone," Emily said.

"We'll call her again on the way." The blonde helped her friend up from her chair. "Let's get you to the hospital."

* * *

As they drove in the SUV, Emily had called her parents and JJ's parents to let them know that she was going to be at the hospital. Her parents wouldn't be able to make it until after the birth of the baby but JJ's parents were on their way with Henry now. Emily decided to call Morgan to see if he would answer his phone since JJ hadn't called her back.

"Hey Prentiss."

"Morgan, hey. How much longer before you guys land?" Emily asked.

"About four hours," Morgan said.

Emily winced as another contraction hit her and she let out a breath. "Can you put Jay-Jay on the phone? She's not answering hers."

"Hey, are you all right?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, I'm great. Just going into labor and my wife is miles away on a jet. I'm freakin' fantastic."

"Labor? We'll be there as soon as we can Emily. I'll wake Jay-Jay up."

A few seconds later a frantic JJ was on the phone. "Are you okay? Are you on your way to the hospital? You're two weeks early."

"I'm fine, I'm on my way to the hospital with Garcia and yeah, I know. And I know you can't control the jet, but please get here as soon as you can."

"Baby, I will. I promise," JJ said.

"I love you," Emily said. "but if you make me go through this without you, I will be pissed."

"I'll make it. The pregnancy will probably be at least ten hours or longer," JJ said. "Don't worry."

"Okay, I'm calm," Emily said.

Garcia held out her hand for the phone as she kept her eyes on the road. "Hold on. Garcia wants to talk to you." The blonde took the phone and put it to her ear. "I must say that I've never seen Emily Prentiss freak out and it is absolutely the cutest thing ever. I wish I had it on video camera."

Emily snatched the phone back. "Ignore everything she just said. Anyway, we're pulling into the hospital. I have to go."

"I'm really sorry I'm not there." JJ had been silently reluctant to go on this case. As soon as it became closer to Emily's delivery date, the media liaison hated leaving the woman behind more than she usually did. This was the reason why. Emily was going into labor and she was going to miss a good chunk of it. She wanted to be there for the brunette through the whole process.

"I know you can't help it," Emily said. "I'll make sure Garcia texts you with updates. Bye hun." Emily hung up the phone and sighed. "Okay, let's do this."

* * *

JJ winced as Emily squeezed her hand. She had gotten there a few hours ago and now it was time for the baby to come out.

Emily pushed as the doctor instructed her to do so and let her head fall back onto her pillow once she was done.

JJ pushed a strand of wet hair from Emily's face. "You're so beautiful, sweetheart."

Emily managed a small smile. "I'm a sweaty mess."

"A gorgeous sweaty mess." JJ placed a kiss on her wife's temple.

"I can see the head," the doctor said.

"I can't wait for her to be out of me," Emily groaned.

"One more big push," the doctor said.

The pressure on JJ's hand intensified as Emily pushed as hard as she could. She guessed the woman didn't want to go through the pain alone. "That's it honey."

The room was suddenly surrounded by the sound of their baby crying.

"That's the best sound ever," Emily smiled.

"You won't be saying that when that sound is waking you up at three in the morning," JJ joked.

"Who wants to cut the umbilical cord?" the doctor asked.

JJ cut the cord and the baby was handed to Emily. "She's so precious."

"She's beautiful." Emily smiled down at her daughter. "Hi there," she smiled. "I'm your mommy."

"And I'm your other mommy," JJ said. "You'll get to see the rest of your family really soon."

* * *

JJ exited the room to let the others know that both the baby and Emily were doing well. The team and her parents stood up as soon as they saw her.

"We have a healthy baby girl." The blonde was beaming. "You guys can come in and see her."

Henry ran to his mom and she picked him up. "My sister's here now?"

"Yeah, buddy. She's waiting to see you." JJ walked back to the room with everyone following behind her.

"Hey," Garcia smiled at Emily. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel great," Emily smiled.

"She's small," Henry said.

"That's how small you were too," JJ said.

"Can I hold her?"

"Not yet."

"What about us?" Morgan smiled. "Can we hold her?"

Emily nodded. "Of course."

Garcia pushed past Morgan and went to get the baby first. "Let me see my goddaughter." Garcia had found out a few weeks ago that Emily and JJ wanted to make her the godmother of their daughter." She had been thrilled about it. Now she had two kids to spoil.

"Did you finally choose a name?" Reid asked. "I know you two hadn't decided yet the last time I asked."

"Yeah, what'd you decide?" Garcia handed the baby off to Morgan.

"We present to you Alexis Elizabeth Prentiss-Jareau," JJ said.

"Hyphenated last names? Didn't think you'd win on that one," Garcia said.

"I never lose when it comes to Emily," JJ smirked.

"Very funny," Emily said. She watched as Alexis was passed around to the members of her team and then JJ's parents."

"She's precious," Mrs. Jareau said.

After a few more minutes, they decided to let the brunette get some rest. As they were leaving, JJ asked Morgan to stay.

"You two need anything?" Morgan asked. "Do you want me to go out and get you some better food then what you'll get here?"

"Thanks, but no," JJ smiled. "We just wanted to ask you something."

"What's up?"

Emily stopped looking at her daughter so that she could look at Morgan. "We were wondering if you would want to be Alexis' godfather."

Morgan's eyebrows rose at those words. "Really?"

JJ nodded. "Really. So what do you say?"

Morgan smiled. "I'd love to be the godfather of your daughter."

Emily smirked. "Are you going to cry?"

"No, of course not."

"Oh, I think you are," Emily joked. "Derek you'd make a great father one day and this way you can get some practice."

"I'm honored. Really. Thank you."

JJ hugged the man. "You go home and get some rest. We'll call you tomorrow."

Morgan said his goodbyes and as he left the room, Mrs. Jareau appeared with Henry.

"He doesn't want to leave yet," she said.

"I want to see my sister again," Henry said.

JJ held her arms out to him. "Come here."

Henry went over to his mother and she picked him up. Mrs. Jareau left the room so that her daughter and her family could get some alone time.

"I have a present for her at home," Henry said.

"Oh yeah?" Emily looked at the boy. "What is it?"

"My truck. The blue one," Henry said.

"You're giving her your favorite truck?" Emily asked. "That's really nice of you, Henry. Thank you. You can hold onto it for awhile longer though until she's older."

JJ smiled as she held her son and looked down at her wife and daughter. "She really is beautiful." She ran her hand gently over Alexis' head. "I can't wait to have our third."

The profiler laughed. "And who's going to have that one?"

JJ grinned. "We can flip on it." The brunette laughed and JJ kissed her gently on the lips. "Don't worry. I can wait two or three years before we have a third."

"To think just a few years ago we were just friends blows my mind sometimes. Look how far we've come."

"We have an amazing family," JJ said.

"That we do." Emily looked at Henry and smiled when she saw that he had fallen asleep with his head resting on JJ's shoulder. "Looks like the little man is out for the night."

JJ looked at Henry and kissed him on the top of the head. "The excitement of it all must've worn him out."

"Yeah, and it is way past his bedtime," Emily pointed out.

"My parents are still out there. I'll go give him to them so they can go home. I'll be right back."

Emily watched the love of her life leave the room and smiled down at their daughter. "Hey you. Welcome to the family. You're going to have great people in your life who love you very much." Emily had been blessed to have the people she spoke of in her life. She really didn't know who she would be today without them. She was grateful everyday that they were her friends and family. If she had been told a few years ago that she would be married to Jennifer Jareau, have a wonderful step-son and a precious daughter, she would've never believed it. But here she was living a dream she never thought would come true. The only way she could describe how she was feeling at the moment was full of love. She couldn't wait to see what the years to come would bring to her and her family.

**THE END**

* * *

A/N: I'm not the greatest with endings so sorry if that was a bad one. Thank you to all who took the time to read and leave feedback. I really do appreciate it.


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